


The End Is Where We Begin

by Maegalkarven



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Gods don't give a fuck if you believe in them or not, Hurt/Comfort, Lgbta+ talks, M/M, Percy-centric, Platonic Relationships, Ragnarok is like background noise it's basically an excuse for me to resurrect everyone, also all myths get mixed when Ragnarok happens, but also they just talk all the time because it just happens, like half of characters return from the dead, you can't write ooc when uncle Rick doesn't remember his character's personalities himself, your life gets so much better when you realize you can resurrect everyone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2018-12-25 04:45:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 36,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12028395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maegalkarven/pseuds/Maegalkarven
Summary: The end of the world starts on Tuesday with Percy Jackson's sudden arrival to Camp Half-Blood.The end of the world starts with Nico di Angelo getting some unpleasant news about being the son of Hades.The end of the world starts with people long gone coming back as if nothing happened.The end of the world starts.And of course there is a prophecy about it already.(The title is from "The End is Where We Begin" by Thousand Foot Krutch)





	1. Go, giving up your home. Go, leaving all you've known. (You are not alone)

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have beta and I know no grammar. Forgive me, for what I'm dumb and tired.

It all starts on Tuesday.

"It's the end of the world," Percy states blankly. "Ragnarök. We all gonna die by the teeth of the big bad wolf."

"I like wolves," Jason resents. "Wolves are nice."

"Lycaon sucks though," Leo cuts in.

"Lupa doesn't!"

"Fenrir does suck," Percy admits with a shrug of the shoulders. "Like _a lot_."

"How does it concern us any way?" Nico asks, and it's called for question. "It's not even our myths."

"Yeah!" Leo agrees. "Maybe I don't believe in Fenrir!"

Annabeth snorts.

"It might surprise you, Valdez," she starts in her "I know more than any of you ever would" middle school teacher voice. "But The Fenris Wolf gives no shit about your beliefs. He's pretty committed to the world destruction."

"Yeah," Percy adds. "Like, Magnus hadn't believed in him at the slightest, but it didn't stop Fenrir from sending his wolves to kill his mother and ruin his life."

"I feel that dude," Leo says with sympathy. "The thing sounds familiar."

"Who's Magnus?" Nico asks, frowning. He thinks he heard this name somewhere, but can't recall.

"Annabeth's cousin," Percy shrugs. "He's son of Frey. Oh, also he's dead."

"What do you mean 'he's dead'?"

 "Well, he has died. _Literally_. He lives in Valhalla and all that jazz."

"That's true," Annabeth nods. "I've seen Magnus's body. _And_ Magnus staying in front of his body; he says he is Magnus 2.0 now, updated and harder to break."

" _Anyway_ , Magnus says some real shit is about to happen now. Ragnarok, all that. He says it's going to affect everyone, no matter which god's children and of what belief stuff."

"So what you're saying is," Jason frowns. "We have to stop doing whatever we were doing and take part of it because your girlfriend's cousin said so?"

Percy suddenly looks less calm and unimpressed.

He suddenly looks very worried and actually sweats; and Nico absolutely doesn't notice it, because Nico has his boyfriend next to him and he stopped paying attention to everything Percy does a long time ago. He's over it.

"Uh, actually," Percy looks like he's about to bolt out of the window of the small Grace-McLean apartment. It's a dangerous tactic, because the apartment is located on the eleventh floor. "Annabeth isn't my girlfriend. Anymore."

He stops. Everyone stares.

Annabeth sighs maybe a little too deep, rolling her eyes a little, but lets her boyfriend - ex-boyfriend, apparently - finish.

Nico thinks about the nice and comfortable darkness of the shadows. He wonders how angry would Will be if he'd just shadow traveled them both away.

Jason sneakily mouths "don't" to him, and Nico pretends not to notice.

"Why?" Hazel finally asks. "I mean, you always looked so perfect to me."

Percy smirks. "We're pretty perfect," he admits. "But we're just not...meant to be? Like, romantically. We're best friends and soulmates forever and ever; and-"

"Percy had a stupidity to fall in love with someone and to not notice till it slapped him in the face," Annabeth states, looking a little too victorious for someone who broke up with her soulmate.

Percy pouts. "Annabeth!" he cries out, scandalized.

"What?" she deadpans. "It's true!"

"And are you," Piper starts gently. "Alright with that?" "

"With what?" the wise girl raises an eyebrow. "Percy being dump? Not really, but I think it's just part of his charm."

"I'm not dumb," Percy frowns, looking a bit like a little upset kid.

"I know, dumbass," Annabeth says affectionately. She pats his hand gently. "And I know you didn't do that on purpose. And _you better_ know what I don't blame you. And what you will prevail, no matter what your suicide induced brain thinks about it."

"Rude," Percy says, but he smiles back.

"So," Frank asks, as Hazel practically beams with supportive excitement. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"Or, you know," Jason cuts in, looking at Nico. "The boy. The person. Down with heteronormativity."

Nico really loves Jason; he's a great guy and a good friend, he's supportive and clever and all.

But sometimes he's just. _Way too much supportive_.

Percy actually seems to appreciate the input.

"You're right," he smiles sheepishly. "It's actually a boy."

He looks at Will for some reason.

 _Oh, Aphrodite_ , Nico asks. _Please, don't let my crush be in love with my boyfriend. Even you are not **that** cruel._  

He thinks he hears an echo of her laughter in the distance. Not ominous at all.

"Cool beans!" Leo says, and for once Nico is grateful for his intervention. "When do we meet him?"

Percy looks like he's suffocating.

"Not now," Annabeth sounds defensive. Of Percy, Nico presumes. "Now, back to "the end of the world" part, please."

* * *

It feels like Christmas.

It feels like Venice and he's five and mom is holding his hand, and Bianca is running in front of them, collecting shiny rocks.

Aside from what Bianca has died.

Aside from what she's hugging him tight right now.

"You've died," Nico says, or more like sobs. He still doesn't fully believe. "You've left me and when you died and when you refused to appear when I called for you and when-"

Now he's sobbing fo real, and forever twelve years old dead huntress Bianca di Angelo hugs him for dear life.

"You've grown up so much," she smiles. "You're higher than me now. And older. Look at you! You have a boyfriend!"

She looks at him like she can't believe he's here, like _she_ wasn't the one who've died years ago.

"I've missed you so much," Nico responds. Bianca brushes off his tears gently.

* * *

It starts just like this.

Dead people just start...returning. Walking from the forest, looking like they've never died.

Breathing, bleeding, _living._

"One thing good about the end of the world," Percy jokes, looking from some distance at di Angelo reunion. "It brings people back."

* * *

But sometimes mortals and demigods alike coming back is a bad thing.

It smells like alcohol Beryl Grace drinks and a teenage rebellion.

It smells like Gabe Ugliano Paul almost have to fight before the police arrives.

* * *

Sometimes it's a good thing.

It smells like something burning, one of Leo Valdez' devices literally exploding when he's too busy running into his mother's embrace.

It looks like tears what are streaming down the Clarisse's face as she holds Silena Beauregard for dear life, Aphrodite's daughter tearing up as well.

Charles Beckendorf stays near, one hand on Silena's shoulder, another - clenched in her hand's grip.

Silena will spend weeks not leaving his side for more than strictly necessary, and Clarisse will refuse to leave her side whatsoever.

It tastes like the can of cola Mister D. drops, forgetting whatever he was about to do, as he sees so familiar boy sprinting into embrace of his twin brother.

Dionysus will furiously deny it later, but some dryads see the tears on his cheeks.

It sparks like silver, it hits like an arrow, it gets to Percy when he grabs a bunch of Zoë Nightshade in his arms and spins her around, and she doesn't even complain.

He also cries.

They both do.

* * *

 All the hunters cry, actually.

They stay in a Camp Half-Blood for now, rushing here at the first notice of Bianca being back.

The ecstasy they reach when they get yet another sister, _their former leader_ , back, is huge.

Zoe stays with them all the time while Thalia has to step away for a while; not because of Nightshade's return, but because of Beryl.

Beryl Grace is alive and stays in Camp Half-Blood (as many of returned previously dead relatives of demigods do; some stay in Camp Jupiter or New Rome as well).

She creates a little family disaster and Jason with Thalia has to deal with it.

Percy thinks it is the real end of the world for them.

* * *

Some of returns are not that simple to classify. Some of them are more complicated than "bad" or "good".

One of them wears a scar across the face, has a deadly double-edged sword in his hands, able to kill both mortals and monsters alike.

One of them walks to the Camp Half-Blood like nothing had happened, maybe looking just a little worried.

One of them is Luke Castellan.

Percy's cursed, dying heart skips a beat.

* * *

"This is bullshit," Nico says. He looks terrible; like he hasn't slept for days. Maybe he hasn't.

Bianca holds his hand from one side, Hazel - from another. Will sits across the table and looks guilty.

"I'm sorry for-" he starts.

"Not dying?" Nico interrupts, voice at the dangerous edge. Jason reaches to him, but Nico leans away. " _Not being cursed?!_ "

"Well, _I sure am sorry_ what the feelings I have for you are not qualified to be called love!" Will snaps. "I'm sorry, okay? I sure like you, and _you bet_ I have a crush at you, but apparently that's not enough to be considered love." He shrugs, a little angry.

Nico looks a little apologetic now.

"Look," he says. "It's not the problem. I'm used to people not loving me; hell, you liking me _is_ a miracle already. This isn't what upsets me." He thinks for a moment. "Okay, maybe it does upset me. Can't lie I didn't hope for love and didn't want being loved. It _does hurt_ a little what you just like me a little romantically and not madly in love with me. But it's actually good. Because you know _what_ hurts like hell?!"

"The fact what whoever loves or will love you deeply, truly and romantically is or will be cursed by some angry daughter of Aphrodite whom Hades upset somehow the hundred of years ago?" Percy asks unhelpfully.

Yet, somehow, it does help to ease Nico's rage.

"Yes," he hisses. "And also what whoever will love me will _slowly and painfully_ die from that curse. He will literally break part by part, his flesh "burning" from the love he feels, leaving only bones and still beating heart, till this... _disease_ covers all his body, reaches the heart, turns it to aches, and then he dies. _This_ ," Nico inhales violently. " _Freaking hurts._ "

Percy looks like he understands.

"I'm sorry," he echoes Will's words. Nico shrugs, annoyed.

"Whatever," he says bitterly. "At least Will isn't going to die because of me. Something good."

Bianca strokes his hair gently, while Hazel lowers her head on brother's shoulder. Funny, but even though Bianca is the youngest of Hades' children now, she still acts like big sister not only to Nico, but to Hazel as well.

Hazel secretly likes it.

* * *

" _Um, watcha say_ ," Leo sings, as the seven plus Bianca, Nico and Thalia look at walking to Argo II Luke. Nico looks at him in annoyance. Percy suddenly joins in.

" _What you only meant well_ ," he tries to sing, a little unsure.

Luke is close enough to hear him and raises an eyebrow in a question. Percy blushes - and Nico _totally doesn't notice it_ \- and shuts up. He gets sneaky high five from Leo anyway.

"I'd trade Ethan Nacamura for him at any second," Nico scoffs.

"Our hands are tied," Annabeth reasons, even though she looks like she's about to either punch Luke or jump out of the ship. Nico is surprised to see her being so...scared when it's not about Percy's safety.

"We all heard what Rachel has said," Percy winces. "Fucking prophecy," he says.

Bianca gasps in horror. "Perseus Jackson!-" she starts, but gets cut off by Luke.

"Perseus Jackson indeed," Luke agrees, nodding to Percy in a silent "hello". Percy looks vulnerable all of sudden.

Castellan looks at his future team. "I'm sure you're just as happy to see me as I am being here."

"What is _not at all_ ," Thalia says and everyone can feel the air stiffen.

Luke just smiles. " _Exactly_. I must admit, I liked the idea of being reborn more than this," he gestures at the ship and its inhabitants. "Whatever it is."

Leo scoffs, taking it personally.

"It's Argo II, you creep," he starts. "And take a note what you'll fly very fast down from it if the crew won't be happy with you."

"Oh," Luke smiles sardonically. "I'm all fear."

It's about to become the real disaster.

* * *

"I've heard Zoe is about to join us later," Piper says as they leave the camp. Bianca and Thalia nod almost in sync.

"It's hunters' business too," Thalia says. "The end of the world by nords myths, new prophecy, Hades' curse... You sure need all help you can get."

"You alright with Zoe taking her leadership position back?" Jason asks.

"You kidding? Zo-zo rocks! But don't you dare tell her I said that!"

Percy walks to them. "Grover is about to join the party too," he speaks. "Just going to deal with sudden _God of Nature rebirth_ first, no biggie." He chuckles. "We're never going to rest, are we?"

Thalia smirks.

"We'll rest when we die."

"Yeah," Percy smiles in return, but something feels off there. At least for Jason. "When we die," he looks a little lost, if you ask Grace. "Can't wait."

 


	2. The time we have, the task at hand. (The love it takes to become a man)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their journey continues and everyone gets a grip on who Percy's secret sweetheart is.  
> The revelation stings.  
> In the meanwhile Sally Jackson is being nominated to the Best Mom Award, as she adopts the team as she sees it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It you think this fic is going to have epic fights instead of talking and casual hang outs, you're very wrong.  
> I apologize for nothing.

He thought he was sneaky. Apparently, not enough.

"Nico," Annabeth says, raising her head. Nico curses under his breath. "You wanted to talk about something?"

"Not at all," he lies.

"Should I remind you what I'm Athena's daughter?"

"Alright, maybe."

"Come here," Annabeth pats on the bed near herself. "Sit down."

"I'll stay, thanks."

"Nico, come sit with me."

Annabeth Chase is one of the few people who can out stubborn the son of Hades with practically no effort; she is natural at it.

Nico wonders how Percy managed to not only deal with her on a daily basis, but also become close friends and fall in love - or for a while confuse his feelings for what he thought was romantic love, anyway.

Maybe it's his jealousy speaking.

He sits down.

"Now speak," Annabeth suggests in what sounds like an ordering voice. Nico thinks about how talking with her mother must feel.

"You joke," he finally says after a while. "You and Percy; I've noticed you joke about Tartarus. You talk about it, and mention it casually, and don't even wince."

"We do," she nods.

"I- how?"

She sighs. "Because it's worse the other way. We need to speak about what we've lived through, talk openly, not being wary of our choice of words. It'll eat us alive it we won't," she is silent for a moment.

"Sometimes it feels like I'm still there," comes out of her mouth in a whisper. "And sometimes it feels like I came out, but Percy didn't."

Annabeth looks at him closely; now, after two wars and the revelation about Nico's past (as if) feelings for her ex-boyfriend and best friend, she acts more natural around him.

Nico wonders if Percy would act the same wary way Annabeth did when she thought she was the one he's crushing on. It seemed as soon as there was no threat in a form of someone's uncalled feelings towards her, she could finally be comfortable around the son of Hades. As much as it could even be possible.

"You were there as well," Annabeth says, interrupting Nico's train of thoughts. She cups Nico's face in a way only Bianca does.

"It wasn't the same," he argues. "I was in a jar and in a death sleep, you had to walk through Tartarus awake and all by your own."

"We weren't by our own," she shakes her head. "We had each other and Bob. You had no-one."

"I-" he gulps. He shouldn't have started this conversation. "I've managed. I'm fine, everything's fine."

"You can talk about it," Annabeth presses. "You _should_ talk about it or it'll eat you alive as well. And I just want you to know what you're not alone. I know you think - you feel - like you're, but you're not. You can come to us; me or Percy, to talk. About Tartarus or anything else. Alright?"

Something tells Nico, as he is looking into too serious for teenage girl pair of cloudy grey eyes, what agreeing would be the lesser of two evils.

"Alright," he nods, warily getting out of her grip. "I'll go now."

"Of course," she agrees. "Just...remember what I've said, okay? You don't have to be alone. You're not Luke."

"What?" Nico isn't sure why Castellan is even brought into this.

"It's nothing," Annabeth actually looks flustered for a change. "You know, he was like an older brother to me once."

Nico wonders what he's supposed to do with this information.

"Good night," he says.

"Sleep well," Annabeth echoes back.

She hopes at least someone will be able to sleep tonight.

* * *

The Wall crumbles down on the third day of their flight.

Percy wonders if there was some way to avoid it. He can't think of any.

Maybe with Grover around he relaxes too much, maybe Hades' illusion spell wears off, maybe it's the weather, maybe - the end of the world or Nico's presence so close, but when Hazel touches Percy's shoulder one day, it falls off.

Disappears. Dissolves into the dust.

Which is honestly Percy's fault; he was too distracted by his thoughts, so when Hazel asked him something at the breakfast, he hadn't heard it from the first try.

And then Hazel reached for him, just touched a fabric of his t-shirt slightly, barely a touch at all.

Apparently, that was enough.

Because Percy's flesh just crumbles like a broken clay, his supposed muscles break down into pieces of some - yes, clay is the closest thing to describe it -, showing clean white bones of his left arm.

Percy could have covered it somehow; Annabeth and Grover know already anyway and they're supporting him - as much as it's possible in this situation. They'd help to hide it from others.

But he's in front of the whole team; and the accident of the spell of Hades finally breaking off was loud enough to get everyone's attention.

Hazel gasps and hides her hand in a pocket; Thalia mouths "What the fuck?"

Annabeth and Grover exchange worried looks.

Frank is frozen with a sandwich halfway to his mouth; Leo just stares, not paying attention to Pepsi streaming down his shirt.

Piper closes her mouth with one hand, but Percy still hears her soft "oh my". Piper is always the first to catch on these things.

Jason's eyes are full of horror, Zoe looks like she understands and her sad look breaks Percy's heart a little (a lot.)

Bianca's eyes are as big as humanly possible, she hasn't counted two and two yet, but knows what something is _very wrong_.

Luke, who after a while was half-heartedly invited to the team meals, actually _reaches_ forward and touches the naked bones with his hands.

It sends a weird sensation down Percy's spine; not bad, but not exactly a good one either.

Luke examines the bones like it's the most normal thing for him; seeing one of his ( _his?_ ) teammates having his flesh disappear.

Percy doesn't manage to get a grip on Nico's reaction.

"Does it hurt?" Luke asks, while Leo is clearly choking on his drink on the background. Frank hits his back and he practically flies across the table. 

 _What a mess,_ Percy thinks fondly. He sends Luke a surprised look.

"I've been working with monsters, remember?"

Luke smiles and Percy has this feeling of nostalgia of the times when Luke's smile wasn't so forced and he hadn't tried to kill Percy for the first time yet.

He wonders if he'll ever be able to forgive Luke for what he'd done.

(He wonders, if he'll forgive himself for what he hadn't.)

"You see all kinds of weird things with them. So does it?"

"What?" Percy asks, still searchjng for Nico.

_Where is Nico?_

Gods, what if he isn't even here? Is it good or bad?

"Does it hurt?" Luke repeats, surprisingly patient.

"Not...exactly," Percy shifts a little, uncomfortable, and Luke puts his hand away.

Percy finally sees Nico; he sits between Jason and Bianca and his face is impossible to read.

Is he angry at Percy? Does he still feel something for him, even though he said what Percy isn't his type and his crush is long gone?

Was it even a crush or Percy misinterpreted?

Does Nico hate him again?

Has he ever stopped hating Jackson to begin with?

There are thousands of anxious questions inside his head: Percy commands them to shut the hell up.

Everyone still stares.

Annabeth and Grover move closer; Annabeth does it stealthy, Grover - not so much.

He stumbles over something and almost falls, distracting everyone and taking attention from Percy, if just for a second. Jackson is thankful for that.

Percy opens his mouth. "It might burn a little," he admits. "When a new piece of flesh dissolves. But generally it's not as bad as it looks."

" _Not as bad as it looks_ ," Nico. Of course this angry hiss belongs to Nico. "Your flesh is turning to dust; _of course_ it's as bad as it looks. If not worse!"

"Nico," Percy tries, but his words fall flat.

Literally.

The second an "o" sounds Nico is already long gone, shadow traveled away.

"He'll return," Jason says. He doesn't look convinced.

"Folks," Percy informs his friends and Luke. "I might have seriously fucked up."

"Might have," Piper scoffs. "Understatement of the century."

* * *

Next time they see Nico as they occupy the entire place in small kitchen of Jacksons-Blofises.

Sally puts more pancakes in everyone's plates. A little charming girl walks on her steps; she's maybe two years old, if not younger. She looks a lot like Percy.

"Her name is Bianca," Percy mentions casually before they enter the flat. Or as casually as he can. He doesn't look another Bianca in the eye.

"Mom agreed it's a nice name. I've also...uh, might have told her about you and everything. I thought it might be a nice sentiment."

He still refuses to look at her.

"It is a nice sentiment," Bianca smiles, touching his hand - he skeleton hand Percy is hiding under bandage since the spell broke off. "Thank you."

"I'm just worried Nico might not like it," Percy admits.

When they all climb into the window of Percy's kitchen; Argo II successfully parked at the roof (what would demigods do without the mist?).

Sally and Paul find ten tired demigods, one satire and one titanide crowding their kitchen in the morning.

"There are a lot of you," Sally complains, but sounds more welcoming and glad to see them than anything. "Would you like some breakfast?"

They end up sending one unlucky soul (Jason swears they cheated somehow) to the nearest grocery, only to have him return with twice of asked and some money left.

"I think old lady at the shop liked me," Jason confesses, blushing at the tips of his ears.

"Mankiller," Leo laughs, only it sounds more like "mahhil'e", because Valdez has a mouth full of blue pastry.

"Why blue though?" Luke asks, as he bites into another pancake. "Not what I'm complaining or anything."

"Oh, it's a secret," Sally smiles.

"Se'et!" Little Bianca parrots from Hazel's lap. She has chosen Hazel as The Special One and refuses to leave the girl even for a second. Hazel doesn't complain.

"Mine and Percy's," Sally adds, as she flips another pancake on Piper's plate.

"I'm going to die," the girl complains. "And it will be your fault."

"These pancakes are to die for," Frank agrees. "But I can free you from this one, if you want."

" _Don't you dare_!" Piper defends the food and Jason laughs.

"You love this pancake more than you love me."

It's the moment Nico chooses to appear out of shadows just in the middle of the kitchen.

Sally freezes for a moment, as she suddenly stumbles over another demigod in her apartment. When she smiles widely.

"Nico," she exclaims, abandoning the pans to give him a heartfelt hug. "You haven't visited us for a while!" she cups his face with both hands, looking at him, searching. "How have you been?"

"I'm...fine, thank you, missus Jackson," he says awkwardly, not sure what to do or how to act. "Uh, or is it missus Blofis?"

"Both is fine, dear," Sally still holds him close. "Are you hungry? Your friends just got their breakfast. So, what would you say to some pancakes?"

Nico actually smiles, a little shy, but earnest.

"I'd like that very much," he says and sounds honest. "Are they blue?"

Sally chuckles, satisfied with his question. "Of course they're blue! Please, sit down!"

Sitting down is actually quite hard; considering, what Jackson-Blofis' kitchen is a small one and currently contains twelve hungry wanderers wrapped and curled around one not big enough table in the most ridiculous positions.

There weren't enough chairs to begin with, so Thalia said "that's fine" and just sat down right on the floor. Of course Sally brought some couch pillows for her and the ones who followed the lead.

So when Nico enters, kitchen is, in the lack of better words, packed. Full. Over flown.

Which doesn't stop Bianca (the little one) grabbing Nico for dear life the second she notices him.

"Bianca, sweetie," Sally asks. "Free this nice young man, he deserves some pancakes too." Bianca frowns, but lets go, crawling back to Hazel's lap. Sally leaves for another pillow to sit at.

"I'm starting to get jealous," Flank jokes, and his words contrast with the way he looks at Hazel with a child on her lap. Because he looks with affection being dangerously close to admiration. Nico thinks Frank would make a great father one day. When a thought hits him.

"Bianca?" he asks, this word being the first he says to his friends since he left.

"Yes?" his sister asks. Little Bianca looks at him too.

"No, I mean," Nico stumbles. Mostly because he finally gets some look at Percy and Jackson looks _worse_ ; the bones naked more than just on his left hand; part of his face being practically gone. "Your sister's name is Bianca?" he manages.

"It seemed like a good idea," Percy explains and he sounds apologetic.

Nico just keeps staring at there the bone looks through some of half-dissolved jaw muscles. Percy notices and winces.

"You'll get used to it."

"To the name?"

"To the bones. And all the gore. Don't think I said it before, but I'm sorry."

Words get trapped in Nico's throat.

"It's not- You don't-" he just doesn't know what to say.

This situation is the worst he ever had, and he was in Tartarus, he had Cupid to rip his biggest secret out of him. Seeing a person who loves him dying because of it is still worse.

"Uh, guys?" Jason asks. "Should we leave you two alone?"

"No," Nico says, and is surprised to hear three other voices agreeing with him. Annabeth looks like she's about to fight the death itself, Grover reaches to whisper something to Percy, and Percy shakes his head.

The son of Poseidon looks frightened and Nico suddenly realizes - it's not because of the curse, it's because of him.

"You're afraid of me," Nico says aloud and when wants to tear his tongue off. Percy meets his eyes and frowns in confusion.

"What?" he asks, as if he isn't sure he heard it right. "Wait, no; I'm not afraid _of you_ , I'm afraid of your reaction. I mean," he lets out a nervous chuckle. "I'm one of your least favorite people around."

Jason makes some weird expressions with his face and Nico _definitely_ doesn't want to know what they mean. Fuck off, Grace.

He opens his mouth to say something extremely unfriendly, but is interrupted by Sally's return.

She holds a huge blue ( _of course_ it's blue) shark plushie in her hands.

"Sorry, sweetheart, we're out of pillows," she comments the appearance of three foots of cotton and pure horror. "Here, sit on this."

Percy chokes on his tea.

"Not Blue!" he begs, sounding like a heartbroken kid.

"Blue?" Thalia asks. "You called your huge shark plushie _Blue_?"

"I was two!"

"Perseus Jackson," Sally raises her voice. "You once jumped into river Styx head first because _Nico said so_ , but you refuse to let him sit on your favorite toy?"

Percy pouts. "Yes," he admits. Sally sighs.

"Fine," she says. "When go sit on it yourself."

* * *

 "I surrender," Leo exclaims.

Annabeth raises her head.

"No one is attacking you," she notices.

"I still surrender," Leo reaches to his pants' zipper. "Sorry, but I'll die if I won't loosen this a little."

"I agree," Zoe sighs. "Jackson, are thou sure thy mother isn't goddess on her own?"

"I'd know if she would," Percy smiles. "No, she's just... _mom_."

"Not every mother is like yours," Luke says, Thalia just silently nods to his words while Jason looks down.

Meeting his mother had to be a real trial for him. Percy frowns.

"You know it's not her fault, right?" he asks. "Your mother didn't become like that because she wanted to."

" _What do you know_ ," Luke scowl. "She's a madwoman and-"

"She's cursed," Nico says. "By Hades. She tried to take the spirit of Deplhi from its previous vessel, but my father cursed it, and she got affected by the curse. She knew your fate and it was killing her."

Luke looks taken aback by that.

"Fucking gods," he finally says.

For once everyone seems to agree with that.

 


	3. They like to talk about the problems, but the problem is - they can't solve 'em. (But they can talk a lot about 'em)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is clear so far, but Annabeth manages to find some answers.  
> Love is love and it destroys the man, but the man is too stubborn to deny it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sneakily throws some slavic mythology* Let the party begin

"Did you find a reason why your mother didn't return?" Percy asks, once they're back to Argo II. "She didn't return, did she?"

They're alone at the board and avoid The Big Talk for dear life.

"No," Nico says. "Father said it's because of the World War II," Nico shrugs. "Too many people died back then, so this pre-end of the world sudden resurrection stopped there. Stumbled over all the dead and lost its strength. And Bianca died relatively not long ago, so she was lucky to come back; _I was lucky_ she came back."

Percy smiles, and somehow manages to look beautiful even with half of his face tearing off.

Nico reaches to touch is check, but stops. Now he has his hand raised in the air awkwardly.

"Your mother saw it, right?" he asks. "She is able to see through the Mist."

Percy shrugs. "I'd tell her anyway," he confesses.

"What did you tell her?"

Percy has a nerve to actually laugh.

"The truth," he says. "What I'm in love and it's killing me."

Nico winces, because it's actually painful.

It's the cruel twist of the fate, the hateful Aphrodite's gift: the boy he was longing for years likes him back.

And it's _killing him_. Nico never thought his wish for Percy's affection could turn into this madness.

"Nico?" he hears, and Percy is closer than he remembers, looking attentively. "You alright? You look kind of...lost."

 _The usual_ , Nico thinks.

"Why?" he asks, and his voice sounds small and weak. Percy seems to get it.

"I dunno," he smiles, and gods, this smile feels warmer than all fires in the world combined. "I mean, _I could_ give you reasons. About how strong you are, or how loyal. Or how clever. How brave. But this isn't why. Nothing is ever the reason, not for this. Not for love," and it sounds so easy for him.

The word "love" slides down his tongue naturally, as if he said it a thousand times. As if it's truth.

 _It is the truth_ , Nico realizes, because bones and curses don't lie, and Percy is all about these now. He opens his mouth and closes it again. Percy just continues.

"You just...You just feel it. Just love. If you don't want it, if you do - you just love and that's it."

"That's it?" Nico repeats. Percy' words sound extremely familiar. Percy smiles.

"Yeah," he says. "Sorry if my feelings are bothering you."

Nico ignores it.

"Had you tried get rid of them?" he demands. "You could have tried to ask Aphrodite. Or Hypnos, you could have just asked him to erase part of your memory; about me, about your feelings. Not as adamant as Lethe, but still a good option."

Percy looks at him wide-eyed.

"Not you too," he finally says. "Grover actually suggested these, but... No. I'm not getting rid of my feelings, I'm not erasing my memory and I'm not going to stop loving you," he sounds a little angry now, and stubborn for sure.

"You're unreasonable!" Nico accuses him.

Percy shifts, annoyed. He has bones looking through his flesh; and soon - Nico doesn't know how soon exactly and fears it - there will be more bones than the body, more dead than alive.

Yet he screws up his lips persistently, refusing to admit the truth.

"You sound just like Annabeth," Percy says, and _that_ is an accusation. "She said the same. But again; no, I'm not getting rid of my feelings for you."

Nico crushes his urge to hit him.

"You're dying," he tries again. "It's not worth it!"

Percy looks at him with his deep sea green eyes; so close, reach and you'll be able to touch, grab - and he's all yours.

His eyebrows are furrowed in a stupid determination, and Nico realizes he knows that look.

 _That_ , he thinks in desperation, _is Percy's "I've decided everything for myself and you can't change my mind" look._ The scariest one.

"That," Jackson says, splitting words out. "Is _for me_ to decide. It's my life, and my love. I love you, that's true, but that doesn't change a bit where these feelings belong to _me_. _I am_ the one to decide what to do with what I feel."

The fatal flaw, Nico suddenly remembers. Percy Jackson's fatal flaw is endless loyalty. He would rip the world apart for the ones he loves.

"Percy," Nico asks. "Don't do this. It's stupid," he adds for some reason. Percy shakes his head.

"No, it's not," he says. "But I'm sorry, for all what's worth."

* * *

"I wonder how it works," Percy hums, typing fingers on the board of Argo II. "I wonder if Pan is angry he's back to life. He looked so tired last time we saw him."

Grover sighs.

"He is angry," he admits. "But he also understands it's beyond everyone's control, even his. Maybe we all will end up in a Surt's fire, or eaten alive by the Jormungand or Fenrir or worse."

"Worse?" Percy chuckles.

"There is always worse."

"I'm just glad we're but supporting team this time; Magnus is about to get into real mess soon."

"You're the one saying this," Grover points at Percy's hand. " _You_."

"Hey," Percy raises his hands in defense. "Could be worse! And I still have time."

"For what? Finding the daughter of Aphrodite and asking her to undo what has been done? For what I know, she had disappeared around the time the curse was laid, which was long time ago."

Percy nods.

"I know. It's not like I'm hoping for some sudden salvation or whatever, but Magnus had given me an idea... He said what usually the myths what are not supposed to get close collide, and what we could find the one we're looking for where we least expect."

"He sure knows how to sound vague."

"Well, apparently Freya said that and asked him to deliver," Percy looks at the distance. "It's not my deadly curse what's bothering me; I mean, I've already lived longer than expected. It's people returning. I didn't want to fuss over it back at the camp, but _how big_ is the chance they won't turn to aches the second Ragnarok is over? The only reason they're here is to fight "in the last fight". What will happen when the fight is over? Will Bianca and Zoe just...disappear?"

"Are you worried about Nico?"

"Well...Yes. Also it would be unfair. You don't bring people back and give everyone hope only to kill them once again."

"Well," Grover chews on his lips. "I sure don't do that."

* * *

"You are kidding!" Leo exclaims later on the same day. "Slavic gods, really? Hadn't we had enough of the gods?"

Annabeth looks up from the monstrous book she's reading.

"Apparently, the gods have another opinion on the matter," she says. "Also it seems the yet nameless Aphrodite's daughter we're looking for is a creature across the myths."

Percy perks up. "Creature?" he asks. "Not a demigod who was granted immortality?"

Annabeth nods. "According to this, she's a daughter of Aphrodite and the god of slavic mythology. Probably Perun."

"And who's the guy?"

"The god of the thunder and the war."

"So, he's basically like Jupiter?" Jason asks. "Or Zeus?"

"He is, though, if the writings are correct, he isn't just one of Zeus's personalities or manifestations, but a separate godlike creature on his own. He's also said to be associated with fire, oak, eagle, horses-"

"Something good, at least."

"-Carts, weapons, iris-"

"Wait, like the flower?"

"- And the wind. And yes, like the flower."

"So he's basically the mix of bunch of our gods?"

"It appears so."

"And is he powerful?"

"He's the highest god of their pantheon."

"Well, shit."

"And the girl we're looking for?"

"There is a big chance the reason of her disappearance is what she had left the greek pantheon to join her paternal side. She's known to be one of the spirits of slavic folklore. The one of her kind are called nawki or lalki."

"Um," Percy makes unidentifiable sounds. "Annabeth?"

"Yes?"

"I think something is wrong here."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, remember I have told you we have a mythology course in college?"

"And what you have taken it, yes."

"Well, we had slavic unit not so long time ago, and... I mean- Nawki are known to be the spirits of dead."

"Oh."

"Yeah. They're kind of these poor souls who suffered premature death; warlocks, killers, the ones who died drowning..."

Everyone are silent for a moment, deep in the thoughts.

"It would make sense though," Bianca speaks up. Everyone stares at her. "I'm sorry, but wasn't the prophecy stating something about the revenge of the dead?"

"Yes, but we throught it was about the nature of the curse and not, you know, the one who cursed?"

"And why can't it be both?"

* * *

"Remind me, why are we going to the Underworld again?"

"To recast the spell Hades used to hide Percy's...um, new look and to get some answers."

"From the Lord of the Underworld."

"Yes."

"And you think that's the good idea?"

"It's the only idea we have!"

"We really need to hit Hades," Percy cuts into the argument. He gets a pointy look from Annabeth and worried - from everyone else.

"Please, don't fight the Lord of the Underworld," Jason asks. " _Please._ "

Percy looks taken aback by that.

"Who are you taking me for? No, I mean we have to visit him so he'd hide this bony mess," he gestures at himself. "From poor unprepared strangers' eyes. Because for some reason the Mist doesn't work there."

"And how are you planning to do that?" Nico wonders, frowning. "Just walk in and ask for a favor?"

"Well," Percy shrugs. "I've done it before. The key is to bother Hades enough so he'll just do as I plead and throw me away afterwards."

"Wait," Piper stops him. "How many times you've done it already?"

"Two or three maybe? I think uncle is getting a little tired of my presence; I've visited the Underworld in the last half of the year more times than I ever did before. You see, Annabeth and I were searching about the curse as soon as it started to act up. It was very confusing at first; my body just...dissolving for some reason. We've asked Chiron, and Annabeth even contacted her mother, and in the end we got a lead to talk with Hades. From Aphrodite, admittedly." Percy winces. "She reached to me herself and said it's some curse the origin of which only Hades can explain."

Nico scoffs. "Did she now?"

"I know, right? Like she totally could explain everything by herself, and yet has send me away to the Underworld, giving only some vague advice to follow. I'm sure she's enjoying the whole thing a great deal; a love curse on a Percy Jackson himself, oh my, isn't that exciting!"

"Is it some kind of a game to her?" Jason resents.

"She's the goddess, so I bet it is. So anyway, I ask Mrs. O'Leary to get me down, mentally prepared for the warm meeting my relative is about to give me. And the first thing Hades does when he sees me is cursing. He just curses and looks at me like I've just ruined his life and I'm all confused and with zero idea about what's going on."

Piper snorts. "Charming," she comments. Percy nods.

"And when I'm having the most awkward talk of my life in which he somehow manages to blame me for everything, curse several more times and just generally inform me in the worst way possible what I'm dying and nothing can be done with this. Well, _thank you_ , uncle, I say. You know I'm not going to go on rebirth? I ask. He scoffs, tells me to stop trying to threaten him (and I wasn't, I swear), when tells me what while he can't undo the curse, he can hide it's effects for a while. I, of course, ask for that, because there is nothing quite as uncomfortable as walking around in a half-skeleton form. So basically, if I ever had any doubts what Hades hates me, now all of them are long gone. I think I'm ruining his life with my single existence."

"Don't think so high of yourself," Nico pulls him down. "He probably just doesn't want to get in a fight with Poseidon."

Percy shrugs. "Sounds reasonable enough for me. But we do have to visit him, or I'll get into the news real fast."

"The real zombie walks around the streets," Leo laughs. "Today at 9 p.m. Don't turn off the TV!"

"I can try to fix your look," Nico tries, ignoring Leo's remark. Percy shakes his head.

"No offence, but it really has to be Hades himself; this curse is like hellish strong and _still_ threatens to crumble every time I even think of using my powers. You'd just tire yourself for no reason."

Nico frowns. "I'm strong," he disagrees. He doesn't believe he has to prove it now. Percy smiles at him, and suddenly Nico's anger is there no more.

"I know," he says gently. "But you can't check it every hour to support the spell, and Hades _is_ the god, he can make it last long enough for us to proceed in our journey."

* * *

Nico di Angelo likes to sleep.

Sleep restores his energy, it lets him to drift away and forget about reality; in his dreams he doesn't think about cruel turns of the fate, he doesn't have to deal with monsters or his stepmother who, Nico is pretty sure, would prefer him to stay dandelion forever.

In his sleep he's free of these burning feelings he tried to crush for years, he isn't confronted with the fact what the person who loves him (the boy _he loves_ ) is dying from a curse because life generally sucks.

Of course there are times when Nico is trapped into a jar yet again, a cocoon of nightmares wrapping him as a cold and unforgiving blanket. But these dreams come and go, and sleep - as activity and as the way to turn the world off - stays.

Generally speaking, sleep is Nico's best friend (Sorry, Jason.)

So of course he's a little bit more than annoyed when some idiot disturbs his rest with screaming at ungodly hour.

"Annabeth!" the said idiot screams. " _Annabeth!_ I can see my heart!"

The voice sounds suspiciously familiar, Nico notices sleepily.

"...what?" another voice, what clearly shares Nico's need for sleep, responds. "Percy, have you seen what time is it? Go back to sleep..."

"Wait, another piece came off and- look!"

Suddenly Nico's friend in suffering is so much less asleep. And is screaming too.

" _Wait_ , don't poke it! Perseus fucking Jackson, you _do not_ poke your own heart through your ribs!"

Suddenly, Nico is pretty much awake too.

The next thing what happens is Annabeth Chase walking through the door of his newly added to Argo II room as if entering Nico's bedroom at 3 am is the most normal thing to do.

("Everyone in the team deserves their own room!" Leo insisted. "Just because you weren't in The Seven Prophecy doesn't mean you're not one of us. Because you are, and you'll have to deal with it. Like, in your own room; you'll like it, I gave it the goth vibe!"

And indeed Valdez did.)

Annabeth stands in Nico's room as a human form of Determination itself.

Percy is just behind her, not sure what to do with himself. Annabeth knows what to do with him, though.

"Now he's _your_ headache," she says, and it doesn't sound offensive, no matter how hard Nico searches for some bad meaning. "I love him, but gods know, he can be a lot to handle sometimes. Like right now. Annabeth out!"

And just like this, she leaves. Percy shifts from one foot to the other.

"I think she stood up from the wrong foot," he comments. "Oh, also, look!"

Percy leans to raise his shirt up and Nico is about to ask what in the hell he's doing, when he sees it.

_The heart._

It just floats up in the air inside Percy's rib cage, denying all laws of physics and anatomy, covered only by the weak white defence of ribs. And, despite everything, it keeps beating.

"Funny how the curse has started from the left, right?" Percy chuckles. "I still have more than a half of my body, but my heart is, well, naked and exposed."

Nico keeps being quiet and staring. Percy keeps filling the silence on his own.

"I mean, that's probably the best visual representation of love; like, here's my soft, fragile, beating heart, take it whole and please don't crash it into bloody mess," Percy searches for something in Nico's face. "A little bit romantic, isn't it?"

"I've never been the one for that," Nico lies, because in truth, no matter how awful the situation is, it does make Nico's heart beat faster.

This view says "you have a power over me, a power I can't and won't deny." It's the ultimate form of exposing, opening yourself, a literal heart for Nico to see.

This curse is the twisted evil piece of art.

"So," Percy says, looking worried and unsure. "Pretty cool, right?"

"It's," Nico sighs. "A sight."

Percy beams. "I know, right? Like, dude, I know I'm dying and shit, but I was in the danger of dying since I was twelve if not earlier, and I'm a bit tired of worrying about it. But this - at least it looks badass!"

"You're a dumbass," Nico comments tiredly. "And you woke me up with your screams."

To Percy's excuse, he does look apologetic.

"Sorry," he says, back to his uncertainty. "I'll go now. Sorry again."

He turns to leave. Nico curses.

"Wait," he calls out, and Percy turns back a little too eagerly. He doesn't even hide it.

"Yes?" and _gods_ , is this the fields of torment, because the hope of Percy's voice is too much.

"...you can stay?" Nico suggests and immediately wishes he had never spoken anything at all. Percy's face turns smug.

"Here," he carefully points. "In your room. With you. _Alone_."

Nico feels his face heating up. "Not like that!" he shouts probably too fast, and - oh no - Jackson'a face looks more smug than before.

"Like _what_?" he asks, and damn it, Nico _knows_ it's a trap.

"I hate you," he says instead of answering.

Percy snorts. "Nothing new here," he retorts.

They just stare at each other for some more seconds.

"You know I don't actually hate you, right?" Listen, he just needs to make sure. "You're okay, I guess."

"Getting really mixed signals right now," Percy jokes.

He moves closer, the banter clearly taking some of the weight of his shoulders.

Nico follows his movement as if he waits for Percy to burst into frames and turn into snake or dissolve into the air; because he still wears some of the sleep and this whole situation is too absurd to be real.

But Jackson doesn't do anything of expected - just like always -, he just sits down at the edge of Nico's bed.

"Can I?" he asks, despite the fact what he already sits. Nico just nods.

Sleep suddenly gets a new hold of him; his eyelids are heavy and hard to move, his tongue is like a dead fish. The blanked is warm and his whole body is heavy and reality just about to shut in at any given moment. Percy seems to notice this state.

"Sleep," he says softly and reaches to brush Nico's hair away. The touch is light and gentle and extremely comforting.

It's also the last thing Nico recalls before falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate it, I hate this.  
> I say as I keep writing.  
> Listen, I know this isn't like...great. But a dude gotta do what he's gotta do.  
> This writing helps me to deal with my life, so it's worth at least that much.  
> I swear the next or the second after the next chapter will actually be cool. I'm building some plot there.


	4. It started from your arms and it's a catalyst (You're a chemical that burns, there's nothing like this)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Underworld is surprisingly welcoming (Hades is not) and everyone has to try this porridge (it's gross).  
> Hazel has the best sense of time and Percy wouldn't mind being algae.

"No." The Lord of the Underworld states.

Percy sighs. "And I feel so much love in this Chilli’s tonight."

Hades gives him his trademark cold look.

"You came here a just month ago," he notes. "And I said that was the last time."

"Well, I can't help what your spell keeps crumbling down!"

"Have you considered not moving too much?"

"Yeah, maybe I should not breathe too?"

"Percy," Jason pulls him by the shirt. "You came here to ask for a favor. Maybe you better...I don't know, stop arguing with the person -  _the god_  - who can grant it?"

"I'm not the one who starts it!" Percy resents.

"You sure are eager to continue."

Nico steps forward.

"Father," he asks. "Can you do _me_ a favor? Without a stable cover for the curse we won't be able to continue our trip with no obstacles."

Hades gives him the tired look what clearly implies: "Et tu, Brute?". Or maybe it means: "He has gotten to you too." In both of these cases the look is deliberately unfriendly.

"You're the reason this curse even exists to begin with," Percy reminds. "Just like some other curses."

The god frowns. "I do not like your implication," he warns. "And must I remind you what there are worse ways to die than from a love curse?"

"Wow," Percy exclaims, his voice lacking any expression. "Threats! Real big of you."

It might be an optical illusion, but it seems what the throne room gets a little darker.

 _Much_ darker, actually.

"Percy," Annabeth asks. "Please."

"I'm not doing anything!"

"Just try to be polite."

"I _am_ polite!"

"You're vagueing about the Lord of the Dead while standing right in front of him," Jason notices.

Gods, Grace sure is glad half of the team stayed back on Argo; he's especially glad his sister and Castellan did, as these two seemed to be that kind of people who would join Percy's rampage in a heartbeat.

"My lord," Piper tries in her sweetest voice. "I'm sure Percy didn't mean anything poor by this. That's just who he is as a person." Percy scoffs at her from where Jason tries to push him aside. "We do humbly require your assistance, but it wasn't the main cause of our visit."

Piper smiles. Jason wonders how she always manages to sweet talk like this. "We simply wanted to accompany our friends," she subtly pushes the daughter of Pluto and the daughter of Hades forward.

Maybe not so subtle, if guessing by Hades' raised eyebrow.

"Are you trying to use my daughters as a bait?" he asks in that serene tone of voice what makes Jason think of the calmness before the storm.

"What- _No_! We just-"

"I've asked them," Bianca saves her. "I've never been here in the flesh. I thought it would be appropriate for us to get officially introduced; after all these years, events and circumstances." The hunter raises an eyebrow the same exact way her father just did. "Are you not glad to see me? Would you prefer for me to stay just a memento to keep for some nostalgic gazes rather than a real person?"

She looks him straight in the eye. Hades' expression softens subtly.

"I am glad to see you all well," he admits. "Though I do not think there is any reason for you to stay here longer than necessary; you've got a close look at everything in your last visit."

* * *

They do stay as guests for a while still; it seems the queen insisted on it (to everyone's and especially Nico' surprise).

"It can get lonely down here," Persephone admits, as they take place by the table. Nico stares at the familiar to him porridge in the bowl with disgust. "Grandmother wanted to make sure you'll eat it all," she mentions casually.

Nico scoffs. "She is not my grandmother!"

"Indeed she isn't, not really; but you'll have to respect old lady's wishes." She shrugs. "If she desires to treat you like a grandchild, then so be it."

"I'll make sure to tell Demeter you called her old," Nico grumbles. "This porridge is awful."

"Could be worse," Percy notes, as he sends a handful of it into his mouth. "It's sure better than nothing."

Nico stares at him in disbelief.

"Did your taste buds died of or what?" he exclaims. "It tastes like dirt!"

"It does taste quite...unique," Bianca agrees. Hazel tries to give her plate to Frank while Persephone doesn't look. Frank just accepts his fate.

"It's better than nothing," Jason shrugs. "And it's free. Thank you, lady Persephone."

She smiles, and her entire look blooms. "You're welcome, a good mannered young man," she says, looking pointedly at Nico.

"I'm not thanking you," he refuses. "It's not even your porridge."

Annabeth sighs.

"Will fa-" Bianca starts. "I mean, will Lord Hades join us?"

"I'm afraid he's quite busy at the moment," Persephone shakes her head. "He sends his deepest apologies. I, on the other hand, have some free time, if you'd like some company." She smiles. "You seem to be far more good spirited than your brother. Tell me, do you like flowers?"

"Don't trust her," Nico warns. "She once turned me into dandelion."

"It was just once, and because you misbehaved! And I did turn you back, didn't I?"

"Only after the father's interference!"

"I don’t know," Percy shrugs. "I like dandelions. I think I wouldn't mind to be turned into one, if I had to be turned into some flower to begin with. Burdock, on the other side..."

"Don't worry," the queen reassures him. "I would turn you into algae."

Annabeth snorts into her bowl. "Seaweed," she whispers to Percy. He playfully hits her on the shoulder.

"Seaweed would work too," Persephone agrees.

* * *

Hades ends up laying a hiding spell "one last - you hear, Jackson? - _last_ " time and they manage to leave the Underworld with almost no complications.

If you won't take the huge three headed eager to play with a ball dog as a complication.

"You taught Cerberus this," Percy says to Annabeth. "You're playing with him. I have Mrs. O'Leary already."

Speaking of her, Percy makes sure to ask Nico about how has been Daedalus doing and if they could visit him. Nico hesitates for a while, but agrees to accompany him.

"So," Percy says as they start walking. "You haven't really shown any reaction to this...thing."

"Thing?" Nico asks, voice nonchalant.

"Yes, you know," Percy tries not to stumble over his own words. "With the curse. I mean, with the cause of the curse."

 _And yes_ , Percy thinks, _This eyebrow raise clearly runs in the family_.

"Are you speaking about the revengeful Aphrodite's child?" di Angelo points. "What could I possibly think of her? She's successfully poisoned any chance of me and Bianca to experience romance without any...side effects. Like knowing what your partner doesn't love you truly or seeing them dying right in front of your eyes."

"Well," Percy mumbles. "Yes, this...isn't cool."

"Isn't cool," Nico repeats. " _Isn't cool_."

"Oh, shut up, I'm trying to find out what you think about me being in love with you!"

Nico stops.

"Oh," he says after a pause. "Why would you want to know?"

"I don’t know," Percy winces. "Maybe because _I'm in love with you_? Which I literally hadn't noticed till parts of my body started to fall off, and it's honestly ridiculous! Like I've noticed I've looked for you a lot, but like, I always did! After Bianca died I felt responsible for you and your life and when there was the war and looking out for you became just a habit of mine; and you're my friend, of course I'd check out if you're fine. But after the Tartarus you tried to avoid me at any cost, and when you said what you liked me in the past - _For real?_ You weren't joking? Like...Since when? _How?_ \- and Annabeth said you decided to "move on" and what I need to give you time and space. I think I gave you plenty of both! But-"

Percy stops to breathe in. Nico stares at him, startled.

"But you are my friend and I care about you a lot even if you can't stand my single presence, and when my skin started to get these weird stains...I know I've said these are my feeling and I don't want to get rid of them, but I also don't want to ruin our friendship," Percy sighs. "If we even have one. I'm just- I hope you don't hate me now."

He looks away.

"I know this is very inconvenient and this curse is awful and I'm sorry you and Will didn't work out-"

"Percy," Nico calls.

"Yes?"

"Shut the hell up."

And when they are kissing.

* * *

They get caught. _Of course_ they get caught.

Nico just adjusted his head to make the kiss more comfortable and Percy just relaxed enough to not make it messy or awkward (of course it was awkward already) when they hear a shout.

"Nico! Percy!" and a moment later. " _Oh my god!_ "

They jump away from each other as fast as humanly possible, looking anywhere but the other.

"I'm so sorry," Hazel says, a hand to a mouth and blushing several shades of red. "I didn't know- I didn't want to interfere!"

"It's okay," Percy mumbles, avoiding Nico's gaze.

Damn it, he has kissed before; he has been caught by the half of the camp! Why does he feel so embarrassed now?

(He knows why.)

* * *

Hazel wears this smug look on her face as if she knows something (she does) and every time Nico sees it he wants to push her into empty room and beg not to tell anyone.

His pride disagrees.

So he's stuck between the pride and embarrassment and with way too fresh memories of Percy's chapped lips on his own.

He wants to hide his head in a pillow and scream.

Annabeth looks at him with a question in her eyes and for a second he fears what she _knows_. She'll know soon anyway, Percy shares everything with her.

Jason notices his state and makes sure to ask if everything is alright. Nico honestly doesn't know, but he lies what it is.

He catches Percy sneaking a look at him and blushing furiously as their eyes meet.

 _I'm over it_ , he reminds himself. _I'm over him._

 _You were the one to kiss him_ , Nico's memory reminds, unhelpful.

He isn't over it.


	5. If I could talk to all the children in the clouds; the ones who couldn’t help but take it lying down (I’d say despite your fate you made your papa proud)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And it happens to be a question of a family matter; and it appears to be a question of the trust.  
> How can you fix something what was never fine to begin with?  
> Luke meets his father and isn't happy of that; Martha and George finally get the rats they deserve.

The team manages to find some details about the Aphrodite’s daughter.

Hades wasn’t very cooperative, but he did mention: the said girl wasn’t the innocent hurt soul who was looking for justice, but an arrogant thief who decided to steal from the Ruler of Underworld.

“She got caught, of course,” the god added. “And got punished for it. I do not know where the fool is now, but I’d recommend looking deeper into her paternal side. And that is the best lead they have.

“I do love messing with gods every time we meet them,” Percy jokes, and Annabeth sends him a wary look.

“Seaweed brain,” she asks. “Try not to anger every single Slavic god in the existence.”

He sighs. “I’ll try.”

The key word is “try”.

* * *

“So,” Percy mentions in that nonchalant voice even Luke learned leads to trouble. “We’re traveling.”

“We are,” Castellan agrees, glancing at the boy next to him.

Percy sure did grow up; not a twelve years old troubled teenager with the stars in his eyes anymore.

Jackson is older, and wiser, and also more tired. His body is a map of the fights demigod took a part of, the gray strand in the hair contrasts with dark majority of it – a reminder of that time he had to hold the sky. Annabeth has her hiding in curly blonde hair as well.

Percy is older; his face has lost some softness, all but edges now. Green – or are they blue? – eyes look warily, searching for any danger present.

The older Percy reminds Luke of himself.

Percy is quiet; he stands near his ex-friend, ex-archenemy, bouncing on his legs in what Luke recognizes as anxious move.

“Your father,” he starts, and winces, seeing Luke’s face darken at the instant. “Hermes is the god of travelers and thieves. Maybe he can help us.”

“Do you want to call him?” Luke wonders, and suspicion quickly grows into knowledge as Percy looks away. “Really?”

“Hey,” Jackson sounds defensive now. “He isn’t _that_ bad. I’ve seen the worse parents. I’m not saying,” he stumbles. “What he’s right and you’re wrong; and sure, he wasn’t the best father figure to you, but,” Percy pushed. “ _Dude_. He tried. He loves you.”

“Easy for you to say,” Luke hisses not unlike lamias he fought alongside with “Poseidon’s favorite.”

Percy sighs.

“That’s fair,” he admits.

“I don’t know how it was for you; I have no idea. But,” he is not ready to give up just yet. “You have a second chance now. He has a second chance, let him try. If he messes up, then,” Percy chuckles. “We’ll kick his ass.”

Luke looks at him incomprehensibly.

“He is the god,” Castellan reminds, and Percy just shrugs.

“Aren’t they all? I’m saying what…You was a hero for me once, and you’ve died like one. I don’t know why you’ve returned, but you _did_.” Percy shifts nervously, but his gaze is steady. “I’m willing to try being your friend once again. I mean,” he smiles weakly. “The prophecy clearly stated what we need you in our ranks. And I guess having you as a friend is better than not.”

Luke keeps silence to grow for a while. He steps closer to Percy, grounding him with hands on his shoulders; it would look threatening before. It would scream of danger, it would scream of a trap. Percy doesn’t even wince.

“Annabeth agrees,” he adds. “Thalia is…she’s angry and I don’t think she’s ready or ever will be, but Annabeth…” Jackson looks up. “You promised her a family once; you have a chance to fulfill it now.”

* * *

"Percy," Thalia says.

"Thalia," Percy returns.

She is not the type to walk around the topic.

"Don't do that," the hunter warns. "Don't put your trust in Luke. _Or_ his father."

Percy shakes his head. "We need to try all the options," he reminds. "Including the one where we give Castellan some space to act on his own."

Thalia scoffs on that. "Have you been missing a knife in your back?" she asks. "Because this is how it will end."

Jackson bits his lips angrily. "We don't know _that_ ," he protests. "And we haven't even tried yet"

" _Listen_ ," Thalia puts a hand on his shoulder.

She's a little shorter than he is now; and younger.

Everyone around are a little bit younger than Percy these days; sometimes even thousand something years old Zoe feels like a girl next to him.

Percy wonders if it's the curse acting. Or if his body knows he has lived far longer than he was supposed to.

Thalia doesn't hear his melancholic thoughts - well, they're _thoughts_ \- and keeps talking. "I know you try very hard," she admits. "It's admirable; I don't think I would be able to do the same. But you can't," Grace stops, making sure he's listening closely.

He does, but looks as unhappy as humanly possible.

"You can't help everyone. You can't fix _everything_. Some things are beyond repair; some _people_ are beyond the redemption." She sighs. "I can't believe I have to repeat it all over again," Thalia complains. "First Jason, now you! Some people are just far too gone. My mother is. Luke as well."

"I can't speak of your mother," Percy admits. "I don't know her. But _I know_ Luke; maybe even better than you do."

"You start to sound like Annabeth."

"Annabeth agrees with me."

" _Of course_ she does!"

The argument is pointless; they're just circling around, none of the other giving their thoughts away.

Percy _really_ wants to fix everything, and he finally has some chance; Bianca is alive, and so does Luke, and so does Zoe.

He thinks he can make it right this time, what that's the second chance they all deserve. Thalia doesn't believe in second chances.

"I don't trust him," she informs Percy sharply. "I won't be able to trust him ever again. Once traitor is always the traitor."

"That's _not_ how it works!"

They have outgrown  their competitive rivalry long time ago, but sometimes a shadow of it is back, scratching the inside of Percy's skull, making him wince in irritation.

Because Thalia Grace is a stubborn one and so is he.

"He is a part of our team now," Percy reminds her. "Rachel said we need him."

"I don't care what Oracle said."

"Well, I _do!_ "

It gets more heated, angrier; Percy thinks he can see little sparkles in the air, and the sea under the Argo II is restless.

"Guys," Jason asks, getting in the way between them. "Guys, please."

Thalia is dangerously quiet and there are lightnings raving in her sky blue eyes.

"Thalia," Jason begs. She turns away.

"You know what I think about it," Grace throws back as she goes inside. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Jason looks at sister as she leaves.

"She'll come around," he says. "Probably."

Percy scoffs.

"She can't control everything."

"Well," the youngest Grace looks him in the eyes. "Neither can you."

* * *

They end up voting; as ridiculous as it sounds.

Seven for it and six against.

Luke is unsurprisingly for it. So goes Annabeth, goes is Grover; Percy is grateful to these two, they've always backed him up in whatever mad idea he had in mind, even when they disagreed with that.

"We stuck together," he hears the echoes of Grover's thoughts. "Hell or Hight Water." Annabeth just nods Percy silently.

Bianca is a little hesitant between hunters' and Percy's opinion, but ends up trusting in him in the end. Not trusting in Luke - she doesn't know him; putting her trust in Jackson. Percy prays he won't fail her.

Thalia is against it, of course, just like Zoe: she never seemed to like Luke to begin with.

Jason is for, but Piper isn't and she gets surprised look from him. "

"I have the opinion separated from yours," she says a little harsh, but it might be influenced by the general tense atmosphere on the board.

"I'm with her in that," Leo nods. "No offence."

Nico is so against it he could raise an army of the dead to vote too. He stares Jackson straight in the eyes with such grim determination Percy has to break an eye contact first.

He thinks about their sudden kiss in the Underworld, thinks about Nico's lips pressing to his sternly, about the flush he got on his cheeks.

Now it's almost forgotten; the end of the world doesn't wait for love, it doesn't give you break.

Especially if you were unlucky enough to be born demigod and a hero.

Percy has this tender, drawling desire to kiss Nico's anger away; to plant his lips where the wrinkle between his eyebrows lays. Grover sends him pointed look; _damn these mental links_.

"For it," Jackson votes.

Nico keeps staring at him with such intensity he's about to catch fire. Percy can feel this gaze pushing him away almost on the physical level. He wonders what it's supposed to mean; if Nico wants to bite his head off of just mildly irritated.

"Against," Hazel says. She sends Nico a glance and he smiles back.

It's up to Frank, and his vote decides it all. The son of Mars looks at his girlfriend in a doubt; he gives everyone around a short thoughtful look.

"Fine," he finally sighs. "I'm in."

Percy has a nerve to smile.

* * *

 "So," Luke shifts uncomfortably. "Should I just...call for him? What makes you think he'll answer anyway?"

"I have the feeling," Percy shrugs.

" _The feeling_ ," Luke looks at him incredulously. "The good kind or the bad one?"

"Just...the feeling. He'll answer."

"Right, so-" Castellan sighs. "Just give me a moment. I haven't been praying to him for eternity and haven't spoken for longer."

"Have your time," Percy sits down. "I get what it's hard."

Luke laughs bitterly.

" _Hard!_ " He repeats. "Fighting Kronos for control over my body was hard; this is a _torture_."

"You can do this," Jackson encourages. "I believe in you."

"Well, at least one of dozen people does!" Luke looks at the small fire dancing in a clay bowl in front of him. "What should I offer?" he finally asks. "Blood, maybe?"

"Okay, let's not go _that_ far; I think food will be fine. See, I have," Percy reaches for his pockets. "…Skittles. Does Hermes like Skittles?"

Luke just stares at him. "I have no idea," he finally admits.

* * *

"Okay," Hazel asks as she finally manages to catch some breath. "Any idea why Percy would need a rat for this? I mean," she looks at her companions. "It's not like Mercury eats them, right?"

Jason chuckles. "I sure hope he doesn't," he admits.

"Annabeth said one of his snakes likes rats," Thalia frowns. "I still can't believe we're doing it."

"Oh, come on! Percy said Hermes is an okay dude."

"Percy has teamed up with Luke; I wouldn't put so much trust in his words these days."

"You know you could have just stayed on the ship, right?"

"No way," Thalia stands up. "I am the hunter; this is the hunt." 

" _Seriously?_ " Hazel says. "We're looking for the rats in the back of some fast food place and you call it a hunt?"

"Got one!" Grover screams from not far away. "Wait, there are two of them! Oh wait, there are more-"

* * *

Annabeth measures them with a look.

"What happened to you?" she asks.

Hazel sighs. "Rats," she admits. "So many rats."

* * *

"Percy," Hermes smiles. "I haven't seen you in a while." He turns his gaze to the next person around. "Luke," he says in so much softer voice. "My boy _._ "

Luke's face is a marble mask; no emotions are showing and his scar looks deeper.

" _Hermes_ ," he says, jaws clenched. The god sighs.

"Should have known you won't call me father."

"Some father you are!"

"I've told you before," Hermes makes a step closer. "And I'll tell you again; we, gods, are not allowed to interfere into our children's lives much."

Luke scoffs.

"As if that was the real reason," he snarls. "As if it way ever the case for any of you." He smirks darkly. "Is it that hard to admit you doesn't care? To say it aloud?"

Hermes winces. "I _do_ care-"

"You left me with her; with her crazy looks and burned brownies and scary talks!" Luke's face twitches in old pain. "I was _a kid_ and she was all I had and she kept talking about how I'll mess everything!"

"Luke-"

"And the only time I saw you, you were here _for her!_ Not for me, for her with her shrines and frightening gazes and green smoke-"

" _Luke_ ," Hermes tries once again. "Son, I am truly sorry. Come here-"

"No," Luke shouts and everyone on the ship can hear him. The rats hunting team just returned and they look messed up - and with a sack full for some reason - and they stare. " _Don't_ come close to me! _Don't touch me!_ "

He shrinks back from his father's embrace, stepping away. "I'm done," he screams to others. " _You_ talk to him."

* * *

It's awkward; family scenes you we're not supposed to see are always awkward.

Hermes sighs once again. "At least he isn't dead," he affirms as if nothing has happened a moment ago. "And has spoken to me."

He turns back to Percy. "Here's coordinates of the place you need," the god notes, reaching to the boy with an expensive looking GPS-navigator in his hand. "They're already in there, all you need is to turn the device on."

"Oh, yeah, thanks," Percy stutters as he takes the thing. "But how did you-"

Hermes chuckles sadly. "You don't have very good memory, do you?" he asks.

"The gods are watching you," he puts a hand on Percy's shoulder. "From the beginning and till you're gone. We might be not the best parental figures around, but we understand your importance. This isn't our war," Hermes frowns. "This time. But it does affect _you_. And to tell you a little secret, I think a friendly push in the right direction won't hurt."

"Lord Mercury!" Frank calls and he has this monstrous bag Percy has noticed before. "It's...Uh," he looks back for some support; Leo gives him a face. "This...these are for-"

The serpents on the god' Caduceus suddenly come to life.

"You've brought rats?" George asks, and it looks like he's sniffing the air. "A lot of rats?"

Sounds like he doesn't believe it.

Frank blushes to the tips of his ears. "...Yes," he admits. "Many rats. We've decided...it would be a nice offering for the two of you?"

"I like this young man," Martha hisses. "He's respectful.

Nothing is quite as weird as presenting the god of thieves with a bag of rats. However, his snakes appreciate the thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, let me know if you like my work. I put my soul into it (such a poor soul I have) and would appreciate any kind words you might have!


	6. ‘Cause she’s a cruel mistress, and a bargain must be made (But oh, my love, don’t forget me)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team finds the girl, but the meeting doesn't bring what they've hoped for.  
> An offer falls in vain, as the morality of the person stands against it.  
> And everyone's demons keep haunting them.  
> *drama intensives*

They find her in the deep depths of the forest far on the north of Russia.

The coordinates in Hermes’ GPS lead them to a secluded area with ancient trees and big swamps. There is a glade there, with a small lake nearby. No, not, the lake, the deep clear pod full of crystal-clear water.

This is where they find her.

* * *

She rises from the pod unexpectedly; a tall pale figure of a young woman, long hair with some plants in it, water dripping from her simple tunic dress.

“I haven’t had visitors for a while,” the nav starts, voice low and melodic. It reminds Annabeth of sirens' songs and she has to restrain herself from shuddering. “Or intruders, as you’re the same.”

She looks around at the people in front of her and when crinkles her nose.

“Demigods,” she says in disgust. “And three of them of the Deathkeeper’s tribe.”

Then she sees Percy.

“ _Why_ ,” the nawia says, as she gets out of the water to get closer. “This starts to get interesting. Don’t think Hades’ weak fog will hide your pretty,” she chuckles. “Face from me. A real piece of art, if I may say so.”

“Can you undo it,” Grover suggests. “If we ask nicely?"

She looks at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“No,” the maiden finally says as she brushes tears from her eyes. “I won’t undo that. I’m glad Hades is getting a taste of his own medicine.”

“But you didn’t curse him,” Piper pushes forward. “You cursed his children’s lovers!”

The nawia chuckles.

“That’s true,” she admits. “Because nothing hurts quite as much as a broken heart; and nothing would get to Hades better than his springs’ suffering. He is many things, but not a bad parent.”

“This is so cruel,” Bianca exclaims. “What did we do to deserve this?”

The nav stares at her without unblinking.

“And what did _I_ do to deserve that?” she asks back.

“You tried to steal from our father,” Nico reminds; the woman all but hisses.

“I was asked to!”

“Asked?” Hazel wonders. “By whom?”

“By the one I once loved; by the one who _betrayed_ me! By the one who got away from any punishment he deserves,” and for once she isn’t angry at them.

“Who is he?” Piper asks. “Tell us. We might help.”

The woman laughs. “You?” she asks. “Oh no, you _can’t_. You’re too young, too naive and full of dreams. You won’t be able to raise a finger on the hero you worship!”

“She would not,” Zoe steps forward. “Yet I am willing to try.”

The nawia looks at her with suspicion. “And who are you?” she calls out. “I don’t recognize your face.”

“I am Zoë Nightshade, the lieutenant of Artemis.”

And the nav is laughing all of sudden. “No,” she says. “No, _you’re not_. You’re the exiled Hesperide; you’re but a lost, discarded girl. We are the same, you and I.” She hums. “Very well. What would you ask in exchange of my wish’s fulfillment?”

“How do you think?” Nico frowns. “Break the curse what’s killing Percy!”

“ _Silence!_ I am not talking to you, the son of the death holder. I am talking to my sister in misery. Well, Zoë Nightshade, what do you want?”

The hunter is silent for a moment. “Break the spell,” she says. “Free my friend from the grip of death.”

The nav steps closer. “Is what you truly wish for?”

“Yes,” Zoe nods. “This is what I wish for.”

“Very well,” the nawia shakes her head. “When what’s my proposition: do as I ask and the curse will be broken.”

“And what do you ask for?”

The nav smiles. “Just one simple thing. Kill Hercules.”

There is a stunned silence then.

“What?” Jason asks, horrified.

“What,” Percy echoes him, eyes wide.

Zoe is silent.

“I…can’t do that,” she finally admits.

“And why not?” the navka wonders. “Because you still love him, after all he has done to you, after all he _didn’t_?”

“No,” Nightshade shakes her head. “Because it’s wrong. I am better than that.”

“Well,” the nav smiles, her sharp teeth sparkling unnaturally. “ _I am not_. This is my final word. You kill the man – the boy can live. Otherwise…Well, let’s say his fate is easy to predict.”

“There has to be another way!” Piper calls out. “Sister, please!”

The nav looks at her. “Sister?” she repeats. “I _was_ your sister once. Not anymore.”

“You still are!” Piper tries, adding some charm in her voice. The maid frowns.

“Don’t even try that, child,” she warns. “You are strong, but I’m out of your league.” She sighs. “I was like you once: young, beautiful and extraordinary. Before the Lord of Underworld has killed me.”

"Wait a minute,” Percy gasps, horrified. “He killed you?!"

"Well," the nav chuckles. "He sure has tried. But," she raises her hand to gesture around. "Hasn't succeeded fully. As, you see, I am more but the daughter of Aphrodite. I am the child of Veles as well."

"Veles," Annabeth murmurs, recreating the stuff she’s learned about the Slavic pantheon. "Not the Perun then. Veles…The warlock and musician; the slavic god of waters, forest and the Underworld."

"That’s who my parent is," the nav looks directly at Nico. "Your father is not the only one who can control the death."

"I-"

"And he is not the only one who knows how to avoid it," she looks at Hazel. "You and your sister would know something about surviving through the time and space itself, wouldn’t you?"

"And what about me?" Bianca interferes. She looks angry, dangerously close to try to shoot the nav with an arrow. Zoe puts a hand on her shoulder.

"She's playing with you," the hunter says. "It’s but a game for her."

The spirit grins. "That is debatable," she rises from the water a little more and suddenly yanks forward.

When the splashes fall down, she's holding Percy by the throat.

"Percy!"

"The child of the water," the navka sighs almost tenderly. "The young Prince of the Sea. I have heard of your deeds, I have heard about you. I am sorry it has to be that way," she lets go and Percy starts to cough violently. "I did not want you to follow my steps," she says, stepping away, as Percy's friends lower themselves near him. Percy stares at her. "But I suppose that's what fate has brought to you. Love is a cruel mistress, after all." She smiles and her smile makes him shiver. "Do not be afraid," the nav says. "The life is painful, but the death knows some mercy. You won't even feel it coming."

"Wait," Percy manages to choke as she starts to sink deeper. "Where... are you... going? We... haven't finished... yet!"

"Percy, don't talk!" Annabeth commands. He ignores her.

"We don't... even know your name!" he calls desperately.

"Bayana," she calls back. "Remember my offer, Zoë Nightshade. Kill the man you once loved and the boy is free."

Nothing reminds about her a moment later; the pod unnaturally still, water mirroring the dull sky.

"Well," Leo says. "That was something."

* * *

“Okay,” Hazel breathes out. “So what do we know?”

“The spirit cursed the Hades' children because the Lord of the Underworld tried to kill her,” Zoe says. “As a result of her trying to steal from him for…” she sighs. “Hercules.”

“I must admit I somehow understand her,” she adds after a while. “We all have done some irreparable mistakes for the ones we loved.”

"Nope,” Percy says. “Haven’t been there.”

Nightshade looks at him deep in the eye.

“The night is still young,” she comments.

“Geez, thanks for your vote of confidence, I guess.”

“Thy fatal flaw is loyalty,” Zoe reminds him. “It’s a miracle thee haven’t stepped aside yet.”

“What can I say,” Percy shrugs. “I’m trying.”

“What are you going to do about her offer?” Bianca asks. “Are you going to…proceed with it?”

Zoe looks away.

“No,” Jason says. “There has to be some other way. I’m not saying Hercules is innocent, but killing him…”

“I agree,” Annabeth nods. “And he is immortal now. How do you kill immortal?”

“You try very hard,” Thalia says.

“Thalia…”

‘What? Do you see any other options? Are you going to sit and let Kelp Head die?”

“Of course not!” Annabeth resents. “But are you willing to commit a murder-“

“I am.” 

They look at the one who has spoken.

“Luke, no,” Annabeth asks. “Don’t join her into this madness.”

“I’m just saying,” he shrugs. “I have killed before. Guilty and not so much. I have two-sided sword,” he points at Backstabber on his side. “And I’m willing to try. It doesn’t have to be Nightshade, does it?”

“Okay, that’s enough!” Percy stands up. “No one is killing anyone. Not for me.”

Nico looks away.

“No one is killing anyone!” Percy repeats, grabbing him by the hand. “You heard me, right?”

Di Angelo clenches his teeth.

"You’re dying,” he comments.

“And this is something we all just have to deal with,” Percy adds. “ Without killing any gods. Okay?”

Nico refuses to answer.

“Nico,” Percy repeats. “I said: okay?”

The son of Hades shrugs. “Okay,” he says discontentedly.

Percy looks at him with badly hidden affection. “ _Thank you_. Now, aren’t we forgetting the Ragnarok part? I mean, the curse is mentioned in the Prophecy too, but it’s not the main point!”

* * *

Luke finds him alone on the board.

“Di Angelo,” he starts. “We have something to discuss.”

Nico measures him with a look.

“I doubt it,” he finally lets out.

“So, you’ll just let Jackson die then?” Nico hates that guy.

“Percy doesn’t want us to act on the nav’s offer,” he reminds.

Luke rolls his eyes. “Listen, I do like Perce, he’s cool and all; but you got to admit, he’s fucking goody-two shoes. He won’t kill a fly if it won’t try to kill half of his family first.”

Nico remembers all of these times Percy showed his power in front of him. “We’re talking about different people then,” he says. “The one I know will fight anyone.”

“That’s because everyone always forces him. I’m not saying he isn’t powerful - the guy is the strongest demigod I’ve ever known; but we both know he won’t act on his own accord if it’s him who’s in danger and not one of his endless list of friends. He’s selfless to the core.”

Nico nods at that. “And what do you suggest?”

“What do you think I can suggest?” Castellan grunts. “Let’s kill the Hercules and deal with it.”

“That’s a murder,” Nico states.

Luke scoffs. “Oh, please. Don’t tell me you’re scared of getting your hands a little dirty.”

“I’m not scared of that; I just don't think it's necessary.”

Castellan looks at him for a long time.

“Well, I’ve made an offer,” he finally says. “You’ve refused it. Don’t blame me when Jackson finally turns to aches.”

Nico clenches his teeth. “He won’t,” he insists.

“ _Sure_. Whatever you tell yourself to sleep at night.”

* * *

He doesn’t notice Hazel’s presence until she coughs.

"I’ve heard what you were talking about,” she says. “I’m glad you turned Luke down.”

Nico frowns. “Percy is still dying,” he reminds her.

“I know. But I doubt the nav would have helped us.”

“What do you mean?”

Hazel looks away. “I don’t know for sure, but I…for a moment it seemed like she was bluffing; about the breaking the curse part.” She sighs. “I might be wrong, but it looked for me what she just wanted someone to avenge her, to get to Hercules, and she would lie as much as needed to attain that.”

“When what do we do?” Nico asks. He knows it’s unfair; Hazel isn’t here to validate his aching heart.

But he’s tired, and Percy is dying and he still can’t believe he kissed him.

And this idiot dares to put his trust into Castellan like there is nothing quite as good as backstabbing early in the morning to spice your already exciting life.

It’s exhausting; watching Percy bearing his back is exhausting, trying to hate him is exhausting, loving him is exhausting.

Nico feels like a human epitome of the world “tired”, he thinks if he could sleep for a month, he would.

But he can’t, and not only because Tartarus haunts Nico at night despite of him being clenched tight between his sisters; Hazel and Bianca just end up living with Nico somehow.

He doesn’t mind; because overwise Hazel would keep sleeping with Frank and that’s – no, he isn’t going to even think about that - and Bianca was supposed to share a room with hunters, but after a while she – _for once_ – preferred Nico as a company and honestly, who is he to mind?

(He doesn’t mind.)

(He missed her so much.)

And yet he can’t sleep, because every time he closes his eyes, Tartarus is there; if not in his dreams, when in Percy’s voice.

Because Percy screams.

_Loudly._

Nico doesn’t think anyone on Argo II hasn’t heard Percy’s night shouts, he doesn’t think anyone managed to get unaffected.

No one has mentioned it yet; because Percy has it hard already, because Percy has Annabeth and Grover, and sometimes it’s Annabeth’s voice instead of his, screaming aloud.

There is something in their voices; deep and animalistic, full of eternal horror. Something they both manage to hide when they’re awake and under control, but it slips away the moment they conscience is off.

It sounds like their souls are trying to leave their bodies, it sounds like if the horrors of Tartarus were put into a bottle, waxed down and now this bottle is breaking apart.

It’s like they are living in a haunted house, but they _are_ the ones who haunt it.

“I’ve missed a lot, haven’t I,” Bianca states, looking at the selling. “What happened with them?"

“They’ve fallen into Tartarus,” Hazel explains from the other side of actually not that big bed. It appears she has hard time falling asleep as well. “Nico was there too.”

“He refused to talk about it with me,” Bianca sighs. “But I have a feeling it wasn’t easy for him either.”

Hazel shifts a little, reaching for Bianca’s hand. “It wasn’t,” she admits as Bianca returns the grip.

They both think Nico’s asleep and he is not going to let them know he isn’t, so he doesn’t move.

He feels someone – Bianca? – fixing the blanket. “I feel so small now,” Bianca suddenly confesses. “I’ve missed the years of the life; Nico has grown up and he’s a fine young man – I can barely recognize him!” she lets out a deep sigh.

“You know, I used to get annoyed by the fact what I always had to be the big sister, to look after him, but now I miss it. He grew up, changed as a person, fell in love, had his first relationship; and I’ve missed it all! Now I'm back, but I feel like I'm trapped in hotel "Lotus" once again; everything moves, grows, changes, and I'm just stuck here, in a place and time. I feel so secluded from everyone," she brushes Nico’s hair tenderly. "So alone.”

Hazel breathes out loudly.

“You’re not alone,” she protests. “You’re Nico’s sister, you’re _my_ sister. I know Nico loves you very much, and I am happy to get to know you as well. It’s nice,” she comments, reaching over her brother to Bianca once again.

“To have a sister. It's a new feeling, but I think I’ll get used to it.”

One bad thing about pretending being asleep; sooner or later you will actually fall asleep.

Nico doesn’t know what Bianca answers, because Morpheus takes him in his deadly grip and lugs down, to the depths of his mind.

For once he doesn’t dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They meet the girl but the girl is dead. Boi, do I love slavic folklore.  
> I'm weak for navka/mavka/nav' kind.  
> Also Bayana (Баяна in rus.) means "storyteller, the keeper of old".


	7. Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart? You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars (Regardless of who you are)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy talks with the nav once again and manages to befriend her to the others' disapproval.  
> The wolves are not as friendly as Jason is used to. (Kill them with fire)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you really thought Percy won't adopt the first sad soul in a sight into the team? Really? He and Jason are walking hero complexes.  
> Writing this fic is more like: https://imgur.com/a/Sc7jK

Percy returns to the pod the same evening.

He looks around like a thief who's afraid to be caught; something in demigod's posture screams he isn't supposed to be there.

The son of Poseidon sneaks near the water carefully. Despite the relatively cold weather he wears only his camp t-shirt and patched up worn out blue jeans.

"Aren't you cold?" Bayana ponders from where she is sitting. Percy yelps and almost falls into the pod.

"Holy shit, you've scared me!" He exclaims. "How did you know I'll come back?"

"Well," the nawia shrugs. "I did not know that, but simply saw as you entered my forest once again."

"Your forest?" Percy wonders.

"Every forest needs a spirit to guard it and take care of. I'm the only one who was willing to stay here," Bayana brushes her hair away, revealing bleary bog eyes.

"Why?" the boy asks.

The nav winces, irritated. "Why does it matter?" she sneers. "You're not here for my sob story."

Percy moves closer to sit on a grass in a hand reach from her.

"Maybe I am," he proposes. The maiden laughs.

"And why would you?" she wonders. "You came here with the son of the Death god, cursed by your feelings to him. Why would you be interested in anything _I_  would say?"

"Well, I can't see why not. But you do antagonize Hades a lot; more, than others."

"I have a good reason for that, trust me," she grunts."Hades was far from merciful when he caught me red-handed. I've paid a great price for what I've done, a greater than you can imagine."

Percy touches his cheek; even after the hiding spell he still can feel the bones of his body stripping, muscles turning to ash piece by piece.

"You sure about that?" he wonders.

The nav looks straight at him.

"Maybe you _do_ understand," she admits. "It was the original idea of my curse; to make whoever wears it to acknowledge the pain you get through for the love you treasure."

"But you suffered not because of that," Percy frowns. "You did because you got caught."

"So what?" the maiden laughs. "The morale of the story is to not get caught?"

"Or to not steal from the Ruler of the Underworld," he nods. Bayana sighs.

"Listen," she notes. "I'm well aware that wasn't the best of me; nor the smartest. But what's done is _done_ and there is no use to cry over it. Hades killed me for mistake I once did."

"And yet you've survived. How?"

The nawia chuckles. "Is what this is really about; you want to know a secret of my immortality?"

"Well," Percy thinks for a moment. "I'm curious, at least. I doubt you'll be willing to share that with me, but if so - I'm all ears."

She watches him closely.

"Perhaps," she nods to herself. "You'll understand, the child of the sea."

The maiden pauses. "We're alike, you and I; both belong to the water, both know death's grip too close for a comfort. I'll tell you my secret," she smiles conspiratorially.

She looks just like normal girl at this moment, long tangled hair and unnaturally pale skin aside.

"It's the water," she admits. "My father is Veles, the god of the forest, water and dead. He couldn't fully protect me from Hades's wrath, not from the distance he was in at least; but he could turn what was supposed to be death into bearable existence. You see," she smiles sadly. "Books lie. I wasn't the nav for the whole of my life. Before I was just the spirit, free to go wherever I wish for. Now," her expression hardens. "I'm the walking corpse, bend to its source of life. To the forest," she looks around in melancholy. "To the pod. I am a prisoner in my own home, unable to leave."

She shakes her head as if brushing sad thoughts away.

"But I am living; I exist despite Hades' will. This," she gestures around. "Is better than nothing."

Percy looks at her with sympathy.

"I am sorry," he says. "I truly am."

She reaches for his hand and takes it in her own.

"What," she teases. "You won't even ask to undo the curse, after I bared my soul in front of you?"

The boy presses her hand with his gently. "No," he confides. "I won't."

Bayana sighs.

"Good for you," she mentions. "For what I've lied. I can't undo curse; not anymore." She looks Percy deep in the eye. "I've cursed Hades' kin with my last breath as an Aphrodite's spring, but the moment my father reached for me and I've accepted his offer, I stopped being the one. I've took my father's deity and his powers to preserve what's left of me, but Aphrodite's plane, the power over the feelings of like and affection are beyond my control now."

She glances at him, apologetic. "I am sorry for lying," Bayana says. "I didn't know you and the desire of revenge to the one who left me behind took over me."

"Do you really want him dead?" Percy questions. "Hercules. Do you?"

She hides teary eyes under the hair. "...Perhaps. I am _hurt_ , Percy Jackson. I have been hurt and mostly by him. Death," she shrugs. "Death is something I can deal with. Heartbreak is harder to bear. I want him to change his mind; to come back to me, to apologize. And," the nav clinches her teeth. "I want him _to suffer_ as I did. As I do."

Percy nods.

"I understand," he assures her. "I don't advocate for your methods, but I do get it. You are not bad person and you deserved better than this."

She giggles through the tears. "Thank you, the sea child," she murmurs. "I _needed_ to hear that.

That talk changes nothing.

The curse is still here; the nav is still dead.

Hercules is still a dick.

But if even one heart beats easier that night, if even a single soul feels lighter, then it's worth it.

* * *

The morning brings on two revelations.

The first one is: the Ragnarök finally reaches them. It approaches in the form of several wolves of ghastly form, looking as if they're made of the liquid darkness itself.

Jason tries to talk to them as they approach, but the effort goes in vain.

The wolves attack.

They don't get hurt by the celestial bronze, imperial gold or stygian iron; even Luke's sword, melted from the Chronos' sythe doesn't do them any damage.

The only thing what actually makes the wolves to step away is Leo's fire.

"I guess these are Fenrir's babies?" he asks, sending a wave of flames after them. "They _do_ look like they want to fight."

"Merda," Hazel hisses under her breath and Bianca sends her a wondering look; Jason gives her a disapproving one. "Flocci non faccio," she shrugs. "What I do care about is where in the name of Jupiter Percy Jackson is."

The second revelation looks like Perseus Jackson himself; he has a huge bubble of water floating behind him and a familiar undead girl walking near.

Jason reaches for his sword before he manages to think about it; he notices others having the same reaction.

Thalia looks at the bow with an arrow ready in her hands and back; Percy raises his hands in surrender.

"Don't attack," he asks. "She's with me."

Zoe gives him the look.

"Thou better explain thyself," she warns. "Sche has threatened thou," the huntress reminds. "Sche is the cause of the curse you're dying from."

"She is a victim too," Percy argues. "Of another curse. The most of us are here because of the second chances we got, why is she any different?"

"And the pool?" Frank points out. "Why is it here?"

"Bayana is bond to it," the boy explains. "It's the reason why she survived."

"And you've decided to take it with us," Annabeth states.

"I couldn't leave her. I couldn't do to her abandon her like Calypso to spend an eternity with no way to escape."

"Well, maybe if you've decided to bring her abroad, she could at least undo the curse?" Bianca suggests.

Both demigod and the nav frown. "I can't," the maiden admits. "I'm not the one who have created it anymore; my new nature preserves me from using any powers Aphrodite may have granted me in the past."

Hazel sighs. "I've suspected much," she voices. "But is there any assurance she won't try to kill us in the sleep?"

The nawia smiles. "Your sleep or mine?" she asks. "And there are any guarantees you won't try the same?"

"How about the truce?" Jason suggests. "You swear to not harm us in any way and we swear not to harm you."

She gives Percy a questioning look; the boy just shrugs. "Can't see why not," he says. "I swear by the River Styx what I won't harm the nav called Bayana by intention or accident, the means of physical or mental nature both."

She chuckles. "I trust you already, sea child," the nav points out. "Or I wouldn't walk with you to face your friend's mercy. But very well; I swear by the force what brought me to life, by my father's name and the water what keeps me awake; I would not harm the hero Perseus Jackson and his comrades neither by force nor magic, nor I will conspire against them in an act or thought."

She looks up to the ship. "Would it be enough?"

They end up giving an oath of "do no harm", all of them. Some are more upset about it than the others.

"Was there a chance curse would break if she'd die?" Nico asks Annabeth as they watch Percy helping the nav to get on the ship.

"I doubt it," she whispers back. "Technically she's already dead."

* * *

"Have you tried a counterpart? Maybe a good blessing could outdo the curse," the nav looks into her cup of tea as if she expects for something to jump out from it.

"Well," Annabeth sighs. "We've tried the Golden Fleece."

"And it didn't work?"

"Not really," she makes a sip from her own cup. "Percy walked with the fleece on his shoulders for the whole day, he even slept with it."

"And?"

"And nothing."

"And have you tried erasing the feeling itself?" Bayana leans on her hands slightly. "It is the origin of the curse, after all."

Percy scoffs. "For the gods know what time, no."

"Well," she clears her throat awkwardly. "As you wish. These are your feelings to deal with, after all. I would like to undo my feelings, if I had the option."

"What stopped you?" Piper asks.

"I was already cursed to the death when I realized my darlings' betrayal," Bayana sighs. "That's actually quite ironic - the Aphrodite's daughter fell a victim of heartbreak."

Piper shakes her head. "It's not ironic, "she denies, "It's tragic and unfair."

"So is life," the nav admits. "So is life."

* * *

 "I've been meaning to ask," Percy starts. "Is Artemis alright with you traveling with us?"

Zoe gives him a curious look. "Why would not sche?" she asks back.

"Well," Percy shrugs. "You know, _boys_...You weren't much happy with my company last time."

Zoe chuckles. "Lady Artemis is our patron, not an owner," she says. "And you've proven to be a friend of ours more than just once."

"Oh," Percy looks touched. "Thank you."

"Thou are welcome. And besides, not like any of boys in your team treat us wrong. Leo Valdez quickly wrapped his head around when his advances are appropriate and when not, and others haven't even tried." Zoe smiles. "We feel welcomed here, not disrespected or molested. Even Castellan is behaving...For now."

Percy's expression darkens slightly. "You think he can be any danger?"

Zoe scoffs. "I tell you that; I do not trust him at the slightest. He has betrayed you once..."

"Once a traitor always a traitor?" Percy asks, echoing Thalia's words.

"Thalia thinks in absolutes," the hunter admits. "But she isn't completely wrong. I am not a mortal, Perseus Jackson, nor I've ever been. I've lived more than the most and learned to look onto people's souls." She sighs. "There is darkness in his soul; I've seen it back when we first met. I've tried to warn Thalia, and thou know how it ended."

Percy shakes his head.

"We _all_ have some darkness in us," he points out. "Me, you, Thalia, Annabeth, Jason and the others. It's normal, we're just mortals - well, _most_ of us - and had to go through some shit as kids. Nico has darkness in him as well, but it doesn't make him evil!"

"The difference is," Zoe says, "What thou are aware of the darkness within, yet thou choose not act on it. Luke Castellan acted on it more than once and there are no guarantees he won't do that in the future." She sighs. "I do not tell thee to throw him abroad, but do advise to be wary."

"But why are you saying it to me? Why are you not telling it to Annabeth or Thalia?"

"Both of the girls have decided something to themselves already; Thalia does not put any trust in Luke, not anymore; and Annabeth, despite hire wishing to patch things up, has learned what Luke is capable of, sche is vigilant."

"And me?"

"And thou have a seed of affection thou once tried to kill, the one what is able to flourish now. Take an advice from a friend - do not let the shadow of old feelings to threaten thy present. Thy critical flaw is a loyalty, after all."

"Thanks for reminding," Percy grumbles. "But...I'll be careful."

"I sure hope so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notice how Percy didn't mention Grover when he was talking about darkness within? It's because Grover doesn't have any. He is perfect.


	8. Sleep on me, feel the rhythm in my chest, just breathe. (I will stay so the lantern in your heart won't fade)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone suffers from a nightmares sometimes, it's alright.  
> Sometimes it's even more than alright.  
> (Jason is this single responsible teen who tries to keep everyone safe and sound while they run into different directions, kicking and screaming.  
> Zoe might be >1500 years old but she is a a train-wreck with a bow and is not a babysitter)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: I've wrote so much in 3 days, I need to rest  
> Inspiration: *jaws theme*  
> You'll laugh, but the hardest part is to find lyrics for the title what will suit the chapter's mood

"This is it," Jason commands. "Everyone sleep together now."

"This is anarchy," Piper says.

"This is inappropriate," Bianca adds.

"Cuddle puddle!" Leo exclaims, excited.

Jason sighs.

"So, you know, I'm a little bit tired of catching different teammates screaming from nightmares on the different sides of the ship," he comments.

"When just don't do that," Nico suggests.

"Yeah, like your idea doesn't make sense; before I woke up only Annabeth and Grover and now I'll wake up the entire ship? I'll pass," Percy shrugs.

Frank looks at him with unreadable expression.

"Dude," he says. "I'm sorry to inform you, but Annabeth and Grover are not the only ones who hear you scream."

"I sleep in the machine desk and your voice still reaches me sometimes," Leo adds.

Percy looks horrified. "Is that true?" he asks.

Hazel nods with sympathy.

"I admit you can be...a little bit loud sometimes. Like sometimes you just shriek. We haven't brought it up because whatever tortures you is enough for you already. But maybe, if we can help..."

Percy looks like he's about to re-choice his entire life.

"It's not you alone," Piper adds. "Sometimes it's Annabeth; she howls in a pain for some time and when calms down. It," she looks away. "It has to be Tartarus, right?"

Both Bianca and Hazel look at Nico, he just shifts uncomfortably.

"Don't look at me," he grumbles. "I do not scream."

"It's because you're clenching your teeth so much they'll start to crumble soon."

"I can't believe I'm saying it," Bianca adds. "But I miss mythomagic times."

Nico's face covers in red spots of embarrassment.

"It was long time ago!" he declares. "I don't play stupid kids' game anymore."

Bianca sighs. "This is what I'm talking about," she ruffles his hair. "You got so dark and broody."

"I am the son of the Ruler of the Underworld!"

"And I am his daughter, and yet I do not walk in black cloak and threaten to take misbehaving children’s souls down with me."

"I do not do that!"

"But with a look of yours, you sure could have! I mean, I do not judge, but you look so...So..."

"Emo?" Thalia suggests. "Goth?"

"Dark and broody?"

"Sad," Bianca says. "You look sad, you look... _lonely_."

"I am not lonely! I have friends, and even if I didn't; I'm fine on my own."

"Oh, Nikky..."

"Don't "Nikky" me, I wasn't the one to die!" he scoffs. "And now you're back like nothing has happened and boss me around even though you're forever twelve and I'm eighteen now! Gods, I-"

He cuts off suddenly.

"You what?" Bianca pushes.

Everyone feel like they're seeing something they shouldn't, another family scene not for strangers' eyes. They have no chance to step away unnoticed, however.

"Speak up, finish this sentence!"

"No," Nico shakes his head, taking a step back. "I didn't mean that," he sighs. "I'm sorry. I've got used to being alone and not to answer to anyone; I have friends, but they're not chains, and Hazel is alright with me if I contact her once in a while, she knows I will be fine. And then you come back and you boss me around; no one has been bossing me around. Well," Nico chuckles. "Will tried, but I am, and I quote: "too stubborn and independent to listen". But you're my older sister and you are used to take care of me. I understand it might be weird for you; seeing what I don't need babysitting anymore."

Bianca smiles sadly. "It's alright," she says. "You've grown up, even if I didn't."

They look at each other in some hesitation.

"Hug," Leo whispers. "Hug each other."

Bianca chuckles. "I think he's right."

And then they're hugging.

* * *

 Nico doesn't scream; no matter what horrors haunt him in the dreams, even after Tartarus-induced nightmares get spiced with the terrors of the new, fresh kind.

Nico sleeps with his teeth clenched, determined to not let a single sound skip his lips.

Sometimes Hazel wonders if there is a body laying next to her or a brick - so tense every single muscle of his body is.

Nico doesn't make a sound even when a picture of the boy who occupied his mind for years intrudes his casual Misery business. But gods, how scared is he.

 _It's Percy,_ he tries to remind himself. _Just Percy. You love him._

But the image slowly cripples with mold; so familiar kind face with one-sided soft grin dims with decay.

He watches in horror as tanned skin with rare freckles peels off, stripping layer after the layer of damaged meat - not even muscles -, revealing the white cold bones.

Nico doesn't scream, but at this moment he sure wishes he could; yet as he opens the mouth, nothing comes out.

The worst part is not the view; it's the scent.

It smells like polluted, suffocating by the dirt and sludge of civilization water; it smells like the dying sea.

Nico has been informed - by several creatures and mortals along - what he smells like death. He wonders if he stinks as bad as the air he's breathing in right now.

Nico doesn't scream; and he finds it hard to breathe as well. Is it the awful smell of despair clenching his lungs in its merciless grip, is it something else?

But something interrupts the nightmare, some interference from the other side of his eyelids.

Nico can feel soothing warm wrapping itself around his whole being, and the deadly sea steps away as protective embrace slowly rises around him.

It smells like salt water, like a morning breeze on Los Angeles beaches, like dry seaweed and fishing docs; and a little bit like sweat.

He opens his eyes to find himself face deep into someone's armpit.

 _Great,_ Nico sighs internally.

At least it explains a scent of sweat.

He tries to move, getting out of his bedmate's embrace - curse Jason and his great idea of bed sharing - only for someone to strengthen the grip and murmur unidentifiable complain somewhere into Nico's hair.

"Oh, come on," he pants. "Just...let me get...out."

"Mhm," the cheeky sleepy bastard exhales. "…no."

A warm breath stirs his hair then and the asshole even dares to pull Nico closer.

"Oh, _for fuck's sake!_ " he exclaims. "I give you thirty seconds to get your hands away from me or _else_."

The person next to him shifts away, discontented.

"Just once in this damn life I've managed to fall asleep like a normal person," a hoarse voice complains. "Without nightmares and shit," the whiner moves away a little more to look at Nico with the gaze full of sleepy condemnation. "And now my sweet rest is being interrupted like that? Rude."

Di Angelo suddenly encounters a familiar deep water splashes inside of Percy's green eyes.

"Well?" Percy grunts. "Was it worth waking me up?"

Nico stares at him, trying to get a grip on the situation; damn Jason and his 'genius' ideas!

"I thought so," Jackson states, already closing his eyes back.

He nudges to Nico, hiding his face in the crook of his neck and sighs with relief.

"Percy," Nico tries. No response. " _Jackson_."

"M-not here," he mumbles into Nico's skin. "...asleep."

And that's all Nico manages to get from him.

"Okay," he says, trying to ignore his racing heart. Nico clearly remembers falling asleep on the other side of the blanket pile and with no Jackson in a sight. "E-everything is just fine."

* * *

 

Next time he wakes up to Percy staring at him.

"Hi," the impossible disaster by the name of Perseus Jackson says. Nico has to make an effort to not bolt out the bed as some scared wild animal in the face of danger.

"Hey," he responds after a pause. "Stop staring at me, it's creepy."

Percy has the guts to blush. "Sorry," he manages, as his face hides under the deep shade of red. "You looked so peaceful."

"And here come creepy talks," Nico comments.

Percy covers his face with a pillow. "Sorry," he repeats, sound muffled by it.

Nico looks around. "How comes we're the last to wake up?" he wonders.

"I suspect they've conspired against us; Jason seems to try to set us together from the moment he found out," Percy gestures around vaguely. "About, _you know_. He was making these faces-"

"Oh no, not them."

"Right?" He picks up. "They're horrible! Nothing quite as humiliating as your friend awkwardly trying to help you with your crush even though you didn't ask for that."

Percy sighs. "Jason is something."

Nico nods. "He sure is."

He looks back at the boy in front of him; soft and warm under a bunch of blankets, hair - the artistic mess somewhere between the Picasso's painting and the "The Dying Swan" symphony. The looks like these should not be legal.

"You're gorgeous," di Angelo says. "How dare you."

Percy stares at him. " _Excuse me?_ "

"Your face," Nico affirms. "I can't say what exactly makes it so great, but it's extremely handsome one, unbelievably so."

Percy blinks, when a deep blush starts crippling up his face yet again. "Are you...maybe not fully awake?" he suggests.

"I'm as awake as I can be," Nico scoffs. "And your damn face in a set with your kind soul and bright personality caused me years of self-loathing and gay thoughts."

"Uh," Percy manages. "Sorry?"

"No, shut up, you don't get to apologize for being you," Nico looks at him closely and there is an old sadness in his eyes. "I know you can't help it."

He sighs.

"And now you're in love with me. You, our knight in shining whatever; have hots for the resident basement emo - how ridiculous is that?" Nico raises his gaze up to the selling. "This is the least possible outcome, and yet," he raises a fist to the skies then, as if threatening them. "Here we are."

Percy looks at him in awe. "Here we are," he agrees. "And I love you. And I want to kiss you real bad right now. Can I?"

Nico almost chokes on the air.

"...Sure," he pushes out as he stops coughing. "Can't see why not."

* * *

Percy gets closer and Nico commands himself not to crawl away.

 _This isn't a dream_ , he reminds himself. _This is not a sick joke. You've heard the curse's description, you' **ve seen** its impact._

Jackson stops suddenly, glancing at Nico in hesitancy.

"You sure?" he asks. "I don't want to overste-"

"Oh, _for the love of the gods_ ," Nico curses. "Kiss me already or I'll do it myself!"

"You'll kiss yourself?" Percy chuckles, and moves forward before Nico manages to get the answer.

His lips are warm, and soft, and eager.

It's different from the Underworld kiss; slower and there is no Hazel to caught them. Percy clearly knows what he's doing and it sends a familiar wave of jealousy over Nico's body.

 _He's kissing you now_ , he has to tell himself. _Not Annabeth. He kisses you and he loves **you**_.

It helps a little.

Percy biting his lip gently, tugging it down and sucking in helps _a lot_.

Nico sighs into the kiss, parting his lips in unspoken invitation; he pulls Percy close until they're pressed to each other. His hands find a way to Percy's excuse of a hair and tug down, and the muffled sound Percy makes into Nico's lips is worth everything. Nico tugs again, harsher this time, exploring; he bits into Percy's lip angrily and Percy moans.

Nico had been drunk several times in his life, but none of them were even close to this mind-wrecking euphoria he feels now. Pulling and pushing and biting, getting different signs of pleasure from Percy might be his favorite thing now. The way Percy moves under his hands, the way he sighs out, the way his tongue dances inside of Nico's mouth - its intoxicating and soon they both are lightheaded and out of breath.

"Whoah," Percy manages; flushed with lips turn apart by desperate kisses.

 _My kisses_ , Nico realizes and has to hold himself from pulling them into another breath-taking vortex.

"Yes," he agrees. "Whoah."

* * *

"Oh wow," Leo comments when he sees them. "You guys look...Wrecked. And shamelessly happy."

"I am shamelessly happy," Percy admits with the wide smile. He wears his love like a fool; bright and clear straight across his face.

"I have no idea what you two are talking about," Nico tries, but his efforts come into vain the second he gets a completely smitten look from Jackson. "Absolutely no idea!" He persists, as he feels his cheeks heating up.

"Percy and Nico, sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

* * *

"You're the worst best friend," Nico says.

Jason grins.

"You're welcome."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, Ragnarok is like the background noise while everyone deal with their feelings and Percy dying.  
> I mean, it's Magnus' headache, they're just supporting team who runs around maybe killing some bad wolves and doing what they can. It's not their party to ruin


	9. Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you (There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And they just keep talking.  
> I crave Percy & Annabeth soul - to soul talks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There isn't enough Leo in this fic and I feel so bad, he's my favorite after Percy and Annabeth  
> But also it's Percy-centric fic and I cry

Jason steps into Leo's improvised room only to see him talking with someone by the Iris Message.

He is practically beaming with excitement, hands in the air, moving with some sound-breaking speed.

A woman in a vision points behind him and Leo turns around.

"Sorry," Jason stumbles. "I didn't know you were busy, I'll, uh, I'll come back later."

Leo looks at him as if Jason is a complete idiot.

"No freaking way," he says, gesturing for the roman to come closer. "Come on Sparky, don't be shy! Let me introduce you to someone."

He turns back to the picture in the air.

"Mom, this Golden Boy is my best mate Jason. Jason, say hi to my mom!"

"Hi," Jason says shyly. "It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Valdez, Leo told me so much about you."

"Please," the woman on the other side smiles warmly. "Call me Esperanza. Mi hijo has told me a great deal about you too; I'm so happy he has such great friends!"

Jason tries not to blush but, if to rely on Leo's snickers, he fails.

* * *

 "Annabeth." No response. " _Annabeth!"_

She sighs. "Can't a girl to read in silence for a half of an hour?"

"You've been reading for two!"

"Not my fault letters keep changing places and it takes me twice as long as it should have to read a single sentence."

"You know you can...use a bookmark, right?"

She shakes her head. "Bookmarks are for quitters."

"Wow," Percy sits near. "You really are dedicated to it."

"I am, thank you. So what do you need?"

"An advice."

"Shoot."

"So, let's imagine you like a boy..."

" _I_ like a boy?"

"Well, let's imagine your friend likes a boy."

"Is this friend also a son of Poseidon?"

" _You_ \- You're not helping!"

"I am listening. And if you haven't noticed, the whole ship is aware you have a crush on Nico; there is no need in these "so someone - who isn't me _at all_  - likes someone, what do I - ahem, I mean, them - what do they do" talks."

"Alright, fine, it's just..."

"Strange?"

"Yeah."

"Because we've dated?"

"That too, but mostly-"

"Because you're in love with a boy and you never pursued a romantic relationship with a boy and think what I, as someone who did, might help you?"

"Well, uh, yes? All of the above. Holy shit," Percy chuckles. "You really know me well!"

"Well, thank you, I try."

"To know me well?"

"To not get my eyes away from you. I'm just," she sighs. "It's not about me now, but this half of the year when Hera took your memory and no-one knew where you were...These were hard six mouths of my life. Grover kept telling me what you alive, but I just-"

She stops. "I thought: "What if it's it? What if I'll never see him again?" Demigods don't live long already, and I thought - I _hoped_ \- what after the Titan war we'll get a break - a single fucking break!"

She puts a book away, not bothering to mark the place she's stopped. Percy smiles sadly.

"But the break never happened."

"No," she sighs. "It didn't. Listen," she leans back and lies on the bed. "I know you've tried to "fix" our relationship, I know you feel guilty because you've developed feelings for someone who isn't me, but," Annabeth closes her eyes and breathes in.

"But don't. Nothing had changed; we just stopped kissing and you don't introduce yourself as my boyfriend. But _nothing_ changed between us. I admit, kissing you was nice, it gave me this warm feel of security and caring, but I'll live without that. I don't think- I don't miss it. I don't miss you because _I haven't lost_ you. I think our "dating" was just a fluke."

She opens her eyes to look at Percy. "You understand?"

He sits down. "I- I think I do? I mean, you think it's because we were through so much together and we've been constantly protecting each other and we're literally became partners for life- And everyone always expect for boy to get a girl, for girl to get a guy..."

"Yes," she nods. "And we grew up, and became these popular kids; and in movies and books protagonist always gets a love interest, and they all are so-"

"Heteronormative?"

"Exactly! So everyone was expecting for us to get together, they thought it's the only possible outcome, and we started thinking that way too!"

Percy nods eagerly. "And I liked Luke and you thought you liked Luke and when he betrayed us both and things got really complicated, but it also connected us, so we just-"

"Took the wrong turn. Misunderstood our feelings." Annabeth grins. "I do not miss kissing you."

Percy groans.

"Stop repeating that!" he begs. "You make it sound like it was bad." He stops. "Oh my god, _was_ it bad? Have you disliked it?! Why haven't you said anything, I've kissed Nico _twice_ already, what if he disliked it; for the fuck's sake, how much one person can mess up-"

"Hey!" Annabeth calls out. "Calm down, Seaweed Brain." She thinks for a while. "It was okay; you're not bad kisser. I mean, I haven't kissed anyone else - not on the lips - but I liked it. I would say if I wouldn't. And I'm sure Nico liked it too."

She smiles and pats Percy by his hair. "He isn't over you," she says. "Remember two years ago he said he's over his crush on you? He is not," she chuckles. "Still isn't. The way he looks at you when you don't see, the way he's always first one to check if you alright - trust me, I rush to you too, but somehow he _still_ is faster. I've started noticing it after his confession. He," she sighs. "Even after he got together with Will; every time you were around - he looked. Every time you were mentioned - he tensed up and paid more attention. These sighs were subtle, but they never truly went away. He likes you. And I'm sure he liked kissing you."

Percy breathes out, his face covered with hands, tips of his ears bright red.

"...Thank you," he says. "But also it's very embarrassing. But also: really? Why does he pay so much attention to me?"

"I bet he pays attention to you more than he wants to," Annabeth smiles. "Oh hey, and also: we're together forever, right? I mean. We're not lovers, we're best friends. But friendship isn't less important than love, right? It’s _equal_."

"Of course!" Percy agrees. "You don't even have to ask that!"

"Good. I'm just making sure. Don't want you to start avoiding me when you to will get together or something."

"Of course I won't!"

"You better, or I'll find you and I will kick your ass. Now go away and let me look for a way to save you in peace and quiet."

"Okay, okay," Percy rushes to stand up from the bed. "Oh, and Annabeth?" he calls from the door.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Seaweed Brain. Now get lost."


	10. I cant control the words (Kaleidoscope inside my head)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Additional chapter with Rachel's prophecy itself.  
> Prophecy was made as some demigods volunteered to go on a quest to deal with a task Magnus Chase entrusted them with.

**RACHEL'S PROPHECY**

 

Through ice and smoke and mother's crying,

The only chance of crew's surviving:

The fallen hero comes to life -

The owner of backstabbing knife.

 

Will stand in fight man turned to stone,

A child once stripped to the bone.

The fear and fury join in fight;

One keeps - another burns him bright.

 

Can turn the lover's curse apart

The most divided of the heart.

But only if they'll bring the change,

And break the chain of death's revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate writing poetry and also SUCK at it  
> UGH  
> I wanted to post it at the end of the entire work, but decided it will be more fun to do it mid-fic, while some things haven't happened yet.  
> As usual, a prophecy as some twisted lines you can get in several ways :^)


	11. The wolf has found a way (To lead this foolish flock of sheep astray)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew finds about the magic stone what can fix at least 75% of their problems.  
> In the meanwhile a person from Percy's past he'd prefer to stay there comes into the screen and their intentions are rather concerning.  
> (Beware the angst)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains some mentions of past physical and mental/verbal abuse.  
> Please, be save, everyone.  
> Also I've lost any control over this story.

"There is a stone called Alatyr'," Bayana says. "It's a wide known powerful artifact of slavic world. It's said it can do anything, even bring your loved ones back."

Grover glances at Percy. "Our loved one isn't dead," he reminds. "Yet."

"And this stone can stop the curse?" Annabeth asks. "To give Percy his body back?"

"Hey," he protests. "My body is still mine! It just lacks some...muscle."

"I can see Nico through you rib bones," Jason mentions.

"What can I say," Percy grins. "He's under my skin."

"Percy," Nico says. "I appreciate it, but I'd rather find out the way with which we can save you."

"Romance is dead," the asshole makes a face at him, not looking very sad though.

"It will be dead if you die," Nico hisses. "Bayana, please. Can the stone stop the curse's spreading and restore destroyed fresh back to normal?"

The nawia nods. "At least it's supposed to; this stone is very strong."

"And you know where it might be? Because my sources told me nothing even about it's single existence."

"Oh, yeah," the girl nods. "It's kind of hidden from the eyes of mortals and, well, everyone else. But I do know where it is."

"And where?"

"Further to the north; there is this island surrounded by a lake. Honestly, reaching it should be pretty simple. There is one minor detail, though."

"What detail?"

"The lake...it has two springs running in it's water; one with the Dead water and one with the Living; they fill different sides of the lake, mixing only in the thin line between. Only this line is safe for swimming through."

"Why? What do these springs do?"

"Well, the Living Water can turn back the time; get into it for too long and you're an infant."

"And the dead one? Does it kill?"

"More or less so; it takes your years away, making you older and older..."

"Until you're too old," Piper whispers. "But what's the point of these two? And their mix?"

"Oh, their mix creates a rare potion what is used for foreseeing the future. It also can heal mind, restore memory or-"

Percy lightly hits Luke in the shoulder.

"What?" he hisses. "What do you want?"

"Your mom," Percy whispers back. "We can use this water on her. It might actually work."

"And why would I want to do that?" Castellan deadpans.

"Oh, _come on_! Don't you think what happened with her is at least a little unfair? And after all, she _is_ your mother. Wouldn't you at least try to bring the person she once was back?"

Luke hesitates. "...I guess," he admits. "It won't hurt to try."

Percy smiles.

* * *

"Newsflash - fire doesn't kill fire giants!" Leo says, as he all but hides behind Jason.

"Yeah, tell me about it!" Piper retorts as she tries not to get hit or burned or both at the same time.

When, suddenly, the air turns into water.

Or it looks like it does. In reality Percy just _pulls_  his powers and the place what was practically a dry desert is floating now.

"Phew," Leo says as he spits out the water. "Thanks, Aqua man."

"What would you do without me," Percy jokes.

"Burn away? Disappear into the flames and turn to ashes?"

* * *

"I love Bayana so much right now," Thalia confesses. "She basically single-handedly saved our poor asses."

"What," Jason asks. "You got into fire giants too?"

"Yes, and let me tell you, this girl knows how to make you wet."

"Thalia, _no_."

"What? I didn't mean anything like that," she grins. "You thought about that yourself."

"I've just used some of the water from my pod," the nav shrugs. "I'm no Percy Jackson, but I can fight too."

" _I'm no Percy Jackson_ ," Percy mimics. "What does this even mean?"

Leo stares at him. "Dude," he says. "You're one hell of a powerful, and it's the guy who can summon the fire is speaking."

* * *

There are cracks on Percy's face; fractures of fake muscles coming off.

 _So much for casting spell_ , Jason thinks.

He looks at Nico in worry; surely he has noticed already. And indeed, he has.

Nico walks to Percy slowly, reaching to touch this face.

This time though, unlike others, he actually proceeds, pressing his palm to corrupted skin.

"Hey," he says and for a moment it sounds as if he's talking to Percy's cheek. "Your face is cracking up."

Percy smiles with his usual crooked grin; only softer this time, more gentle.

"What," he asks. "You like me only for my looks?"

Nico scoffs. "You're not even that pretty to begin with."

Leo gasps. "This lie is a crime against humanity; Jackson is freaking gorgeous."

Nico glances at him, frowning eyebrows in disapproval.

"Stop checking out my boyfriend," he suggests almost friendly, if by friendly you would mean low-key threatening with undertones of "find yourself your own dumbass."

"I kind of have plans on him." He immediately regrets what he says, because Percy's face turns into beautiful content mess what even cracks in his face can't ruin.

"Aww," he coos. "Didn't think you're the one for commitment."

"You're dying from love to me as we speak," Nico grumbles. "This us as much as I can do in return."

"What; to claim your rights on his hot bod?" and there it is, this is Thalia entering the room.

Luke traces behind her, the last fight clearly smoothing some of their disagreements. "I have no idea how the talk even went there," Castellan mentions. "And honestly? Don't even _want_ to know."

"Boo," Thalia pushes him. "Fun killer. Look at these gays!"

Nico tenses at this; it’s still hard to not get "gay" thrown at him as anything but insult. Percy must sense it, because suddenly he gives this quick protective glance at Nico before his mouth widens in a smirk.

"Um, excuse me," he calls out. "Bi and proud!"

Thalia raises her hands in surrender. "Okay, geez! Wasn't trying to offend anyone. Artemis's bro is big flaming bisexual and this world kind of deals with it."

Hazel smiles, glancing at Nico to check if he's fine because Hazel somehow _always_ senses any of his troubles. "This is true," she nods. "You could say demigod community is pretty supportive one."

Percy smirks. "My dad once granted his lover an iron skin. He was just like: "Boy, you're perfect the way you are, but you know what would make you even greater? _A skin no one can cut through_."

"Well," Piper snickers. "Knowing how troublesome life of a god's lover can be, it's not too excessive."

* * *

Percy spaces out later the day, to the point when Nico wonders where is his mind even is.

"Are you even here?" He asks, can't help but to feel annoyed. "You've been floating deep into the thoughts for the whole day."

Percy looks up from this undefined point he was staring for the last several minutes. "Sorry," he says sheepishly. "It's just...you've called me your boyfriend."

"Should I not have?" Nico asks, wary.

"What- _No!_ I'm happy you did!"

And indeed, Percy looks genuinely happy, with this rare affectionate look he gets only when everything doesn't try to kill him and his loved ones and he actually has time to hang out with them without trying to survive. Which happens rarely.

So this warm wave of love Nico can practically feel radiating from him is not an everyday thing and Nico is sure it was never so obviously directed at him before.

"Are you trying to give me diabetes?" he asks.

"What?"

"I'm saying you're too sweet."

* * *

"I swear, something is deliberately sending them our way," Hazel grunts. Frank just nods.

"Didn't Magnus say what all we have to do is to patrol the territory, especially area near Boston? What all we need to do to lower the cases of mortals getting hurt and all? Why do these creatures of all kinds and sizes suddenly hunt us?"

"I would like that too," Annabeth sighs. "I don't like how it looks like.."

"Nothing like bunch of multidimensional monsters to hunt you," Percy smirks. "Nothing new, I guess. Brings some memories back."

"Oh?" Bianca perks up, curious. Nico still can't get used to the fact she's twelve - when he's _seventeen_ \- and will be twelve forever. "Like what?"

"Well," Percy thinks for a moment. "Like this time when we had to defend the Manhattan from Kronos's army; bunch of demigod against the literal army of monsters and titans while the gods were fighting somewhere else."

"Remember how your mother used a shotgun?" Nico mentions.

Percy snorts. "Oh my god," he breathes out. "It was _something_. I was so scared for her and Paul and she just took a freaking shotgun and shoot someone into your blade while Paul was slicing monsters right and left on the background. That was..." he laughs. " _Wow._ "

"I would like to say I was surprised," Annabeth notes. "But after she used the Medusa's head to turn your stepfather into a statue and sell him, I kind of expected something like that."

"Your mother did it _what?_ " Leo exclaims. "This is so cool! But also, why did she have to do it on the first place?" He pauses. "He wasn't that great, was he?"

Percy's face darkens.

"No," he states. "No, he isn't good at all. He's...I think the next time I'll see him, I'll just straight up kill him." He admits all of sudden.

Annabeth puts her hand on Percy's clenched fist. "I know he would deserve it," she says. "And I'm not going to tell you "you're better than this" and all that. He...hurt you a lot."

Percy shakes his head. "It's not because he hurt me," he denies. "He hurt _mom;_  he _had_   _hit_ her. No one, ever, is allowed to hit my mom."

"...Wait." Hazel realizes suddenly. "You said he _is_ bad. Did you mean he's alive? How?!"

"He was the one who got brought back because of the Ragnarok," Percy pretends to act disintegrated. "Showed just to our front door; I'm glad Paul was home. If he wasn't..."

"Percy," Grover says.

He just shakes his head.

"No, it’s," Percy stumbles. "It's alright. I've just thought we got rid of this guy and there he was; standing in front of our door. I..." He gulps. "I opened the door, and there he was. Seven years later, and he just came back like nothing happened, this piece of-"

Grover just hugs him.

"You're still blaming yourself," he mentions. "I shouldn't have told you the reason your mom brought him in."

"No-no-no," Percy sniffs. "It's alright! I should have known, I mean, if my mom married some class A jerk to protect me, I really _should_   _have_ known that. I'm just glad," he cuts off. "I'm glad it was just me and Paul home; I'm glad mom was away for a walk with Bianca, I'm glad she didn't see him; I'm glad _Bianca_ didn't see him. She has a nice childhood," Percy sighs. "I want it to stay that way. Because Gabe, he, you know, he really can ruin someone's life. He is a pro at this."

"Percy, wait," Jason cuts in, the only one who is able to say something as others just watch. "When you're saying he hurt you...Do you mean like...Do you," he gets silent. "Did he hurt-"

"Jace asks if he has beaten you," Leo says, serious. "It's okay if he did. I mean, no shit, it's _not okay_ , but it happens, alright? Happened with me-"

"Leo?!"

"-yes, _happened with me_ as well; not all foster families are alright with a disaster kid. And I'm a troubled-"

"A troubled child," Percy smiles. "Me too. And...yes. But I thought," he starts to ramble." I thought if I keep it quiet, if I won't tell mom, if I'll just let him hit me from time to time, then maybe he won't touch her."

He smiles sadly.

"I was wrong. She hit her once in front of me, just before we turned him to statue, and the way it was...It wasn't the first time. " He gulps. "He has done that before and I didn't know and _didn't stop him_. I just-"

He looks around at the faces of people he calls friends.

Nico catches his gaze, attentive, determined for something, a slight wrinkle between dark eyebrows, lips - just a thin line.

Percy tries to smile. He really tries, but for some reason, for some god unknown reason he just _can't_ , he can't wear off a slight shaking of his hands, he can't stop clenching his teeth in almost forgotten fear.

So he just blinks, his lips moving up slightly.

 _I'm okay_ , he wants to say. _Don't worry about me._

But everyone look at him as if he has revealed some dark secret. He thought monsters, giants, gods and titans alike, and yet they look like _this_ ; like his shitty stepfather giving him some hits, is bad.

And the worst part is he feels like it's bad, like it’s _the worst_.

"I'm afraid he won't give up," Percy admits. "The Smelly Gabe, I mean. I'm scared what he'll somehow get to mom while Paul is away and I am away and hurt her again. And what he'll hurt Bianca; he couldn't stand me, I'm afraid what he can do to two years girl."

Bianca - another Bianca - clenches his hand in her small - oh gods, how it small - hand.

"Percy," she says, holding his hand for dear life. "It's going to be alright."

And he really wants to believe her.

* * *

There is this thing. Intuition, it’s called. Gut feeling.

"Trust your gut feeling," they say. For a reason.

There is a stone called _Alatyr'_ , a magical stone what can heal everything, fix everything, purify even the most corrupted thing.

It's not big, just a little jewel of ember color, warm to the look and touch.

 _'"Al-atar"_ , burned to the white; the king of stones, the most miraculous and treacherous around.

It can give you enormous power, it can grant your deepest wish.

Not a thing you want to get to the wrong person's hands.

Gabriel Ugliano looks at it, raising Alatyr' to the skies.

"So," he asks a voice in his head. "This is the thing what can turn things back to normal? The magical junk you were talking about?"

 _Yes_ , the voice hisses. _This is it_.

"And why would I give it to you?" Gabe asks. "I would find a use for itself. To make this bitch and her piece of a shit son pay for what they've done, at least."

 _You will have this opportunity_ , the voice hums. _The boy you hate so much, he is not that far away._

"What do you mean "not far away?" There is this whelp?!"

 _Just wait_ , the voice suggests. _They will be here soon. Percy Jackson is dying. He needs this stone to survive._

Ugliano stretches his face in cruel smile. "Well, isn't it great," she says in a low voice. "This little asshat needs the stone? I'd like to see him try getting it."

 _Kill him_ , the voice advises. _Cut his head and bring it to his mother. Make her suffer._

Gabe grins. "You know what? I think that's an excellent idea!"

In the light of setting sun his eyes flash with violent fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Throws more slavic folklore*  
> *Jazz hands*  
> I remember almost nothing about Gabe's personality beyond what he's The Worst™ and trying to reread part of The Lighting Thief with him triggers my anxiety, so. I'm sorry for all what's worth.  
> Pay attention to starring guest in form of "weird voice" in Gabe's head. Any ideas who could it be?


	12. I am this perspective (I'm the witness tonight)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Small action free interlude chapter. Hazel and Grover talk and reflect on the present and past alike.

Hazel wakes up as the person was lying near moves, accidentally hitting her with an eyebrow.

She opens her eyes, looking at the attacker, only to find Piper stretching across the pillow and blanket mess their common sleeping ground is. She's half under Jason half on Leo, who doesn't seem to mind, clenching to girl's chest in the sleep.

These three look peaceful like these, tangled together, crushed under the comfortable weight.

Hazel catches a thought what she has never seeing these three not being close to each other. They sleep near, they sit near, and they walk alongside.

When Leo disappears in the machine's deck for too long, Piper and Jason are first to check on him. When Leo gets some food from his belt, they're the first to get their portions.

They work in tandem: Piper, Jason, Leo. They might not notice this, but Hazel does.

Hazel misses Jason sometimes, misses the times when he didn't have Leo and Piper. She misses friendly banters they used to have; she misses _roman_ Jason.

And of course Jason is still her friend and he's still Roman, but something has changed. Something has added into his life and took the first place.

Of course Jason is still a friend of Hazel and Frank and especially Reyna. But he's never fully with them anymore; he always aches for the secure company of his most important people.

Piper, Leo. Leo, Piper.

Hazel thinks she knows why he stayed in Camp Half-Blood and it had nothing to do with uniting Romans and Greeks.

It has to do something with inside jokes and understanding looks and the same reactions and how they fight without even looking at each other but being in a sync.

Hazel sometimes thinks some part of Jason has died when he lost his memory; a part what never fully returned. She wonders if Annabeth and Grover think the same about Percy.

It's hard to fall back asleep, as she just lays here, more and more thoughts occupying her mind. So Hazel stands up carefully; it's hard to be careful when it's dark and people are everywhere around her.

She does think Jason's plan worked though: there are less screams at night, less sobs, less dark shadows under the eyes. And it's not only about the ones who were in Tartarus - the thought about what Nico was through still gives Hazel shivers - It's about others as well. Most of them don't scream, even when something is bothering them.

Luke Castellan, who started off sleeping at the further side of the bed, now clenched to Annabeth's chest; she looks like she's about to break his neck in the sleep, but Hazel knows her posture is more of the protective one.

Percy lies on the other side of Luke, putting both hands at him as if demigod is just a fancy legs-holder. He has his face buried into Nico's forearm; there are few nights when they don't fall asleep close these days.

Bianca lays on both Percy and Nico and none of them seem to have any problem with it; not at night at least.

Thalia and Zoe lay next, holding each other close. _Hunters_ , Levesque thinks. _They always stay together_.

The nawia Percy welcomed into the team lies near them and half of Zoe is covered with nav's long hair. Her bubble of water - her pod - floats under them in as a weird shaped cloud; Hazel wonders how many powers it takes from Percy to hold it together and up all the time.

Frank is lying near the place Hazel were, hands under his head and mouth half open. Hazel can't believe she actually finds the view charming, but somehow she does.

* * *

As she walks out of the room and stands near the railing, she realizes something.

Grover wasn't in the bed.

As embarrassing as it is, it's not because she suddenly remembers about him; it's because she sees the faun standing near the railing as well.

"Couldn't sleep either?" she asks.

He shudders, startled. Then looks at her.

"Oh, Hazel," Grover says."Hello. And yes, I couldn't. Percy has some nightmares again."

"But how does it affect you," she wonders. "Did his scream wake you up? I didn't hear a thing."

He smiles. "Sometimes I forget not everyone knows or remembers," he says. "But Percy and I, we have our minds linked. I connected them when I was in a grave danger, to call for a help, and when it just stayed."

Hazel distantly remembers hearing something about it in the Camp Jupiter. "It works both ways?" she asks. "And all the time?"

"Well, it doesn't transfer our thoughts through _all the time_ ," he shrugs. "But when we want, we can communicate by it. And we kind of feel each other's strong emotions, even if we didn't try to transfer them through the link. Most of the time it stays low-key, like distinctively knowing how the other feels. It doesn't bother me much and I know Percy actually likes this link."

Grover smiles. "I wanted to break it, but he _insisted_ to keep it up. He told me he'd like to know if I'm in danger. Also I think he just likes being connected to someone." He sighs. "Percy wasn't always the famous popular hero of prophecy, you know? He was a lonely kid once, and sometimes it feels like he still is."

He is silent for a moment. "I was his first friend," Grover suddenly confesses. "The only friend he had before he came to the camp. He kind of doesn't think high of himself, if you ask me. "

"Because of that?" Hazel wonders.

"And because of his stepfather," Grover agrees. "That was one shit of a man. But enough about it, why can't _you_ sleep?"

Hazel looks away. "I was thinking," she admits. "About things. And couldn't stop it even if I wanted."

"What kind of things?"

"I," she sighs. "This is really stupid. I was missing times when Jason and I were better friends. Or rather I missed times when he wasn't friends with Piper and Leo. This is really selfish of me, isn't it?"

"I don't think it's selfish," Grover argues. "I think it's normal. I can understand you; as I said, I was Percy's first friend. And now it looks like everyone is his friend. Well, everyone but the gods - _them_ he'd fight any second taken. It's easy to feel unimportant when everyone wants a piece of attention of Hero of Olympus."

"You are the Hero of Olympus as well," Hazel frowns. "And the Lord of the Wild; you're no less important. You've united fawns and dryads, without you Percy and others wouldn't be able to stand up against the fight with Kronos!"

Grover looks surprised. "For a roman girl you know quite a lot about of the battle of Manhattan," he mentions and Hazel blushes.

"I might have bothered Annabeth with questions," she admits. "I was curious! And Percy hasn't actually told me much over than: "We thought. And when we thought again. And _again_. And when a huge freaking monster appeared and only Clarisse could take it down. And when we had our backs to Empire State Building and Kronos and his army in front of us. And when Nico and his dad appeared." It's...not very informative."

Grover chuckles. "You have to forgive him; he was too busy slicing every enemy left and right to register much. And after that...All what mattered what we have won. I think many of us tried to forget the fight as soon as it ended."

It gets quiet, with Grover deep into his thoughts and Hazel awkwardly standing near. She thinks of changing the topic.

"What about Percy's nightmares, though? You can...feel them?"

Grover shrugs. "Kind of. It helps me but also it doesn't; helps because with the mental link I can understand a lot of things about Percy, to know about thoughts or feelings he doesn't say aloud. It helps _a lot_ , because Percy has a tendency of closing up when it’s about something bad and the link helps me to at least take that much of a burden."

"And how it _doesn't_ help?"

"Again; nightmares," Grover smiles with so recognizably Percy's crooked smile. "The reason _I_ am awake right now is because _he_ has some bad dreams. And, you know, Percy's live isn't and never was all flowers and butterflies; he had a lot of scary moments and many of them haunt him still. And he's just...not very happy person in general. And while I'm glad I can help by sharing part of his pain and grief, sometimes its...hard. But please, don't tell him that."

He looks up. "Something's up? You're staring at me weirdly."

"What-" Hazel gasps. " _No!_ You just smiled exactly like Percy a moment before, that's it!"

"Oh," Grover relaxes. "It happens more often than you'd expect. We kind of get each other's habits and all; because of the link. Once Percy tried to bite into a metal stick he was holding." He grins. "Almost lost some teeth."

"Oh wow," Hazel laughs. "It had to be so awkward!"

Grover joins in. "It was! And it was in front of some new campers; they just stared at him and walked away. I think poor kids think that's normal thing for him now."


	13. The higher you climb, the farther you might fall behind. (Yeah, it’s a fight)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Universe is like "fuck you and your pitiful attempts" and Percy is just so done. Don't trust weird ringing noises in your ears, kids.  
> Or about how nothing is like it's supposed to be and small breaks, but then the break is over and everything turns into some kind of a hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic is an awful creation what takes my blood, time and ability to think about anything else and gives NOTHING in return.  
> Not even a good plot. Enjoy it, if you can. (I clearly can't)

If you could describe demigods by one word, it would be unlucky.

From all kinds of mortal creatures, half-bloods seemed to be the least fortunate people around. And Percy Jackson was the first one of his kind.

Do you need an elaboration? Why, of course!

There was a lake in the place Bayana has shown the way to. There was a small wooden boat waiting for them on the shore near the almost unnoticeable line between the dead and alive waters.

There was even an island with centuries old oak on it. There was a beautifully engraved silver plate standing on a place where several branches tangled, creating a smooth horizontal stand.

But there was _no stone_ on it.

"Well," Percy hums, staring at the plate in desperate hope for situation to charge. "It's empty."

Bayana can't get her eyes off the plate as well.

"It's not supposed to be that way," she admits a little helplessly. "I swear I did not lie."

"I trust you," Percy nods. "But it doesn't change the fact what there is no Alatyr'".

"It kind of sucks," Leo admits, shifting uneasily near. "Where would it go?'

"I have only one assumption," Bayana says. "Someone took it."

"Which makes perfect sense," Percy nods a thoughtlessly. "Who though?"

"No idea," the nav admits.

* * *

"What do you mean "there is no stone?" Annabeth has this easily recognizable "I'll kick you to the stars and back" look of hers Percy first despised but has grown to love later in life. "You've said it will be there!"

"I know what I've said," Bayana notes a little apologetically. "But I also know what my eyes; or eyes of Percy Jackson and Leo Valdez - do not lie. There is no stone on its rightful place no more."

"Well," Jason comments intelligently. "Shit."

"Maybe we can truck it somehow?" Bianca suggests. "Or the one who took it? Ask some of your gods - or our gods; doesn't matter."

"How do you imagine it?" Nico frowns. "Oh dear gods of whatever, we seem to loose some super fucking magical stone, please, send help?"

"Language," Bianca demands automatically, getting this "I'm totally related to Hades" di Angelo frown. "And it's still better than sit and do nothing!"

"How about a break?" Percy suggests suddenly. Others look at him quizzically.

"A break?" Bianca finally asks. "How would it help?"

"Well," Percy hesitates. "We could rest from all this running around trying to figure how to save me thing, for a change." He types by his naked cheekbone. "We still have some time before it's too late."

"And you suggest to just... _chill?_ "

"I think we all need it," Percy notes. " _I_ sure need it. So why won't we just stop and forget about all this for an hour and just go to the nearest fast food place. I'm craving some good two-leveled cheeseburger," he sends Leo an apologetic wave. "No offence, dude. Your magical belt is something, but sometimes you just want something..."

"Not brought up with magic?" Leo chuckles.

"Exactly."

Annabeth sighs. "Your suggestion _might_ have some sense," she agrees, rubbing her forehead. "I admit we all got a little bit carried away. This temp might throw us off our tracks."

"I would kill for a milkshake," Hazel adds. "Two milkshakes."

Nico gives Percy a look, but asshole just smiles back, getting closer and leaning on him with whole weight of his body.

"Are you trying to crush me under?" Nico wonders. Percy only smiles wider.

"Fast-food date," he pinpoints.

"It's not a date."

"Everything is a date if you say so."

"I'm not saying so," Nico denies.

Percy makes a villainous move and buries his face into Nico's neck. "I am," he whispers.

"Hey," Frank calls to them, soundings amused. "You're aware we're still around, right?"

* * *

Fast food date turns into fast food fight. Percy can't remember who started it - he _can swear_ it was Jason - but at some point a leaf from Piper's salad ends up on Percy's face and oh, _it's a war_.

"Percy," Annabeth tries. "Percy, no."

He throws a fry at her. " _You_ started it," she reminds him. "Don't forget."

And then she plants a piece of cake right on his face.

It ends up in a mess, bunch of teens and magical creatures and titanide thrown out of the place, still laughing aloud.

Piper has a milkshake in her hair and Grover chews on a box from cheeseburger, unaffected, and Bayana laughs so loud she almost falls and Zoe has to catch her.

Thalia and Luke both look like they just have returned from a war, Luke being basically dipped into his plate and Thalia having garlic sauce on her head and pieces of onions sticking from her ears.

Hazel is unattainable and picks a fry from Frank's shoulder only to throw it into her mouth.

Jason looks more like a victim of a food fight than anyone else; Piper and Leo using him as a living shield.

Annabeth has literal spaghetti in her hair and Percy tries to recall if any of them even bought spaghetti to begin with. Did this place even have spaghetti?

Nico looks relatively unharmed, he has Percy's hand wrapped around his shoulders and Bianca clenching to him close from the other side and he looks.

He looks warm, smiling gently at something Bianca whispers to him and glancing to Hazel and Frank goof around, and Percy just can't stop staring. He feels so alive at that moment.

* * *

It's at the moment like this, when it rings.

They're at the abandoned gas station/washing car place - _why_ is there an abandoned place like this to begin with? How did Leo found about it? Percy might never know -, trying to wash the mess they've made away and drying clothes; when it buzzes.

No, not like that. _Buzzes._

Something rings in Percy'e ears, like a distant bell in the air. He looks around, about to ask if others heard it. It rings again, more persistent.

The sound, Percy realizes, comes from his head, from a place there the middle ear is. It's itching, and the louder the noise is, the more annoying it becomes.

Others keep doing what they were doing, unaware of Percy's struggle.

He steps towards the exit a little; the buzz quits down. He steps back, the ringing raises.

 _What the hell?_ Percy wonders.

 _Maybe that's how people get mad_ , comes uncalled thought next.

 _Shut up_ , Percy advises.

 _You're becoming new Mae Castellan_ , his mind persists.

Percy ignores it, looking around warily. Everyone seems to be busy; drying clothes and talking and walking around the place.

Nico is nowhere to be seen and Percy hastily remembers he was one of the last to wash the food away. Maybe he's still doing it.

There is only one way to check that does this ringing noise means.

He grabs his half-dried hoodie, whipping the last drops of water away. Annabeth doesn't seem to pay attention to him, good.

Grover is too busy arguing about something with Bayana, hands flying in the air and bouncing in one place impatiently. Even better.

Percy glances at his team one last time.

 _I hope it's nothing_ , he thinks. _Just some noise. I'll be back in to time._

When he steps back. No one is still paying him any attention. He makes another step. His maneuvers are still unnoticed.

He turns back and calmly walks to the door; the ring in his ears hurrying him up.

 _I'm coming_ , he grumbles. _Give me a moment._

The door shuts behind him loudly, but there is a lot of noise in a washing wing of a place they're currently crowding, Percy is sure no-one has heard him.

And then he runs.

* * *

It’s Smelly Gabe.

It’s Gabe Ugliano, Percy's awful step-father, who just stands in front of him as if he was waiting for Percy to appear.

This is Gabe, but also it's not him. It's like there are two persons standing in front of him; an evil, cruel and violent, but mortal. And someone else, an ancient, powerful creature.

This Gabe looks like someone who walked straight from Percy's nightmares; he emits such strong and terrifying aura Percy has to step back.

"Percy Jackson," Gabe says. "Here you are."

And when Percy's the world bursts out with pain

* * *

He hears someone screaming his name, but he just can't - he can't move, he can't breathe, all he feels is endless, horrifying fear, all he senses is this smell, this god awful smell of moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts.

Percy had hoped he'll never feel it again. And how he did, as he was pressed down to the ground by the boot of the man he hated the most.

 _Stand up_ , he told himself. _Stand up and fight. You're demigod; you're a hero of two Prophecies_. _Stand up and fight him_.

He doesn't.

He isn't even able to move; his entire body aching on the places Gabe ever hit him, his brain circling in this constant cycle of fearful thoughts.

He feels weak. He feels worthless.

He feels every single bad thing Smelly Gabe ever told him.

It's like he is seven again, with no knowledge of his powers. Mom is at work, but he is ill, so he stays home. "You need some good rest and a good chicken soup," Sally has said.

He didn't get either. Instead he got a punch in the gut for being an annoying, whiny baby, was told to "man up" and stop crying for mother. And what if Sally will know it, she would be really disappointment. An of course there was no chicken soup for him left.

It took him years to realize mom won't be actually mad at him, years to understand what Gabe just successfully manipulated him into obedience, using violence and threats.

It took him years.

Annabeth once said child abuse messes up with child's brain in its awful way, what it hurts the child as their brain develops, and ruining mental health of a person to the core. Percy isn't sure how correct is it.

Percy isn't sure about anything.

He's just scared, _so damn_ scared and it makes no fucking sense; he's grown up person now, he's demigod, he fought the worst of monsters and has won. Why can't he move?

"Bit your tongue?" Gabe asks, grinning in the special, extra gross Gabe way. "Not so brave now, huh?"

Percy wants to say something, he wants to fight back.

Percy, he hears familiar voice echoing in his head.

 _Percy,_  Grover is calling for him. _Percy!_

 _I can't_ , he mumbles back. _Grover, I can't!_

 _Oh yes, you can_ , muffles satire in response. _You're the strongest person I know, you can do anything._

_I..._

_Percy_ , Grover begs. _Please_.

 _But I_...

A ball of flame bursts right into Gabe's face, startling both of them. The man steps back, but looks relatively unharmed over wise - has to be Alatyr's doing.

"Who," he starts. Another flame shot throws him to the ground.

"Get your gross hands away from my friend!" Leo screams. He's flying in the air just above them; or more like Jason is flying, holding him in his hands. "You evil ugly overcooked chicken, get your dirty hands of Percy right now!"

Percy feels a wave of relief washing over his body, so strong he feels sick.

He tries to stand up; legs are shaking, head - spinning. But it doesn't matter, because he _isn't alone_.

Jason planes next to him, freeing Leo and reaching to help Percy to stand up. "You okay, pal?" He asks. It's a stupid question, because Grace isn't bling, he knows Percy isn't alright, but he just has to ask, at least to distract him for a moment.

"Could be better," Percy answers, his voice low and dangerously brittle. "But I'll manage."

He looks at where Gabe is trying to restore his balance. "How can..." he looks up at Jason. "What do we do?"

Jason stares back. "Are you asking _me?_ " he wonders. "I'm in the supporting team today."

"Hey, if you need anyone to kick this dude's ass," Leo cuts in. "I can!"

Percy finds some strength to smile. "Thanks," he answers. "I won't mind some fireworks in, well, work."

Leo opens his mouth to say something clever, something funny; _something_ \- but Gabe is back at his feel already.

"You brats," he barks. " _Little imprudent pricks._ You think you can butt in? You think just because some weak ass gods banged your moms you can do something to me?!"

And okay, Percy has noticed something weird in Smelly Gabe already; some little detail what made him think Ugliano doesn't act on his own; but this starts to get really obvious now.

Like the way Gabe's usually dull eyes burst with green fire: the magic stone shines in his hand with soft white, contrasting to it abruptly.

"Is it me, or this guy looks _really_ possessed?" Leo asks.

* * *

It's a nightmare; three demigods against the mortal, but the mortal fights better than some titans Percy has known.

Smelly Gabe has lost mental control over Percy and he knows it; now he mostly attacks.

He keeps throwing insults to shake Percy out, but there is nothing Percy hasn't heard before, nothing Tartarus ever showed him. He fights back, using the Riptide and feeling awfully helpless; all his sword can do is to block some hits and cut apart some of the monsters Gabe - someone else - keeps summoning.

He can't hurt Gabe, because no matter how awfully strong, Gabriel Ugliano is still a mortal and Percy doesn't use a weapon what can hurt the one.

His natural environment is far away; Percy can feel Bayana's bubble in the distance, the nearest source of water, but he wouldn't use it - he wouldn't risk her life to save his own.

Percy feels the few threads of Hades' spell falling apart, striping down the bones on his left side. His heart feels - and appears - awfully fragile now, looking through his ribs in an open invitation to stab it.

Gabe smirks villainously and - yes, Percy expected it - aims for the heart.

But Jason blocks him before he proceeds. "Oh no," he curses out. "You don't!"

 _Percy,_ Grover calls and his voice sounds both close and very far away. _How are you holding up?_

 _Barely_ , he breathes in response. _Jace and Leo just saved my ass._

Gabe attacks again, and Percy dodges it at the last moment; he swears there is no possible way for Gabe to move like this, and yet he does.

It's like the is an evil spirit possesses the man, making him stronger, faster, more skilled.

He it's supposed to jump like a freaking grig, but he jumps.

Percy wonders if it's Alatyr's working; the stone shines invitingly from Gabe's pocket, soft ember-like light contrasting with sharp luminescent flares dancing around.

 _Hold on_ , Grover asks him. He might have felt what Percy starts to get pretty tired. _We're almost there. Just wait for us, okay?_

 _Okay_ , Percy sighs in return.

And when Gabe knocks him out.

* * *

He wakes up to everyone screaming.

No, really, _everyone._

His teammates are swearing as they fight, weapons clanging and pain screams echoing in Percy's ears. Enemy monsters are roaring and howling and hissing and crying in pain. Gabe pretty much swears endlessly; it's easy to pinpoint his voice through all the noises.

Someone is holding Percy close and promising to end his miserable life if he won't open his ridiculously beautiful eyes right fucking now. He tries to open his eyes.

"What-" he pushes off.

The hands holding him clenches around stronger. "You fucking stupid brainless idiot," so familiar voice swears. "Can you be alright for _one god damn day_ in your life? _Can you?"_

Percy finally manages to lift his eyelids to look at the person in front of him. "Nico," he says softly.

"No," di Angelo says. "No, what the fuck; _no!_ Don't "Nico" me in this "I'm glad to see you before I die" tone of voice!" He clenches his teeth. "I swear to gods I'll kick your ass."

"Promises," Percy smiles. "All promises."

"Jackson, you alive there?" Thalia shouts as she shots one monster with an arrow just before kicking another in the guts. "Hold the fuck on!"

She's about to get hit from behind when Luke pushes her away, barely avoiding the punch himself. "It's never boring with you, is it?" he laughs.

A lightning bolt strikes several monsters at once; Jason barely planes down, attacking from the sky. Percy sees Annabeth and Piper fighting back to back, both of them moving their knifes with the striking speed.

"And others?" He asks, not seeing Grover, Bianca, Hazel, Frank, Zoe and Bayana. "Are they alright?"

Nico grunts. "They're fine," he admits. "We got ambushed on our way here and they stayed back to protect our backs." He stares at Percy with dangerous intensity. "What were you thinking, wandering away alone?"

"It seemed like the right call at the time," Percy admits and Nico scoffs, indignant.

"No, it wasn't," he hisses. "You just wanted to play the hero you have always been once again."

Percy sighs into his loved one's embrace. He knows he should stand up and fight; get Riptide and protect his friends, so he makes a shaking attempt to. "Don't you dare," warns him Nico. "Others can deal with it, and I've summoned skeletons to help as well."

"Nice," Percy chuckles. "You really got in time."

"We had to run across the town to find your petty ass," Nico retorts. "Because you couldn't just possibly wait for backup and had to engage a battle."

"It wasn't intentional," Percy tries to deny. "I just got a feeling like something was calling for me and I've followed. And run into Gabe."

"It was a trap, dumbass," sighs Nico. "He was luring you into it."

"Well, I did find the stone, after all-"

They would argue for century, no matter what in the field of a fight, if in the next moment Gabe wouldn't make an attempt to escape.

There is difference between fighting one demigod whom you bullied his entire childhood and fighting a whole group of heroes who wouldn't mind to kick your ass and bunch of undead corpses.

Gabe, whatever powers the stone gave him, has started to get exhausted; and even the monster lines he somehow summoned for help get wearily and less adamant at biting into everyone's necks.

 _Can monsters get tired?_ Percy wonders.

And in that a moment Gabe retreats.

It’s weird; looking a man who managed to turn your life in hell run away like a coward he actually is.

It’s weird, but somehow it makes perfect sense.

Percy makes a move to stand up. "No," Nico tries to resist. "You need to rest now, not to run after him."

"Nico," Percy all but begs. "Let me go. This is my fight. I _have to_ do it. For my mother and for myself."

Nico looks at him, hesitant, not wanting to break the embrace.

"You better not die," he warns, voice low with a threat. "You better not fucking die on me, you asshole."

"Thank you," Percy stands up, pecking a little kiss on the boy's lips. "I- I got to go."

And so he makes a run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My own fanfiction haunts me in the sleep.  
> I'm so ready to get over with it.


	14. All the living are dead, and the dead are all living (The war is over, and we are beginning)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But right and wrong are not options, morality plays very little in the current events.  
> Also Percy makes questionably stupid thing and pretty much everyone is unhappy about it.  
> But love is love and also is the answer and Aphrodite is pleased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me:*shrugs* what is normal posting schedule? idk her  
> We're close to the end, my dudes (thank the god)

And this is exactly how Percy finds himself in _trouble_ ; face to the worst mortal alive, back to some dusted wall; magical stone in his hand and his former enemy’s sword in another.

It was a long road of running, screaming, catching Backbitter Luke has thrown at him with “you’ll need it!” scream, more fighting, somehow managing to get Gabe to drop the stone and catching it up, what lead to the situation Percy is stuck now.

“Don’t be stupid,” Gabe says, sounding _nothing_ like Gabriel Ugliano himself. Sounding…ready to cooperate. That only is enough to make Percy suspect something. “Give me that stone back and you’ll avoid the worst case scenario.”

“Oh,” Percy has some guts to grin. “And what is the worst case scenario?”

He thinks he knows, because the worst case scenario is now.

And even though whatever spell what channeled all Percy’s fear and despair Gabe caused him in the past – Percy big enough to admit what feeling he was crushed under before Jason and Co arrived were pretty much his own, just a little…strengthened – is off, he’s demigod is still standing back to the wall in some traitorous blind alley of a town he can’t even remember a name of.

He’s still pretty much locked in a trap, with dangerously powered Smelly Gabe, the monster of his childhood nightmares, reaching for one of the most powerful artifacts on Earth.

In that extreme situation Percy does the best thing he can think of.

He drops the stone into the sewers.

"No!" Gabe screams, losing all his sudden, practically enchanted charm altogether, launching forward and trying to grab the jewel; but it's too late. Alatyr' has slipped between the metal bars of the sanitary sewer and is probably half way to the bottom already.

"Whoops," Percy comments, not feeling even a slightest remorse. "I'm so clumsy!"

Gabe stares at him with utter hatred and - yes, here it goes again - unnatural fire in his eyes. "You," he barks. "You son of the-"

Percy slaps the man before he manages to finish. " _No_ ," he states. "You're not going to finish that sentence. You have lost, Smelly Gabe."

It's the first time Percy voices the nickname straight to Gabe's face and somehow that single fact fills him with power.

"You will never say a single bad thing about my mother," he continues. "Nor you'll ever hurt her ever again. And you know  _why?_ "

Percy raises the sword; not his faithful Riptide; Percy is aware it has already appeared into his pocket. However, he's also aware Anaklusmos is not able to hurt mortal being.

And Gabe, no matter how awful, no matter with what empowered by, is still a mortal.

But Percy is holding the Backbitter, and that's ironic, honestly - the sword, what once created by his enemy to sow the chaos and destruction lays in his hand willingly, ready to slay.

Percy thinks he understands Luke a little as the sword swings in the air, ready to cut through the flesh of the man Percy despises the most.

It's hilariously easy to take someone's life away.

It's dangerously easy to act on your bad impulses.

Percy thinks about morale and good deeds, he thinks about what's good and right.

He thinks about "being better than that" thing.

And when he strikes.

* * *

Its different from killing monsters.

Gabe doesn't turn to aches; he bleeds, he chokes on his own parody of the blood, gasping for the air and staring at Percy in disbelief.

Funny, he thought Percy wouldn't do that.

Gabe Ugliano thought Percy was too weak. He thought he had some control over him.

He was wrong.

* * *

 Luke sees him first, he watches as the boy walks to him, Backstabber in hands.

"Well?" Castellan asks, but he already knows the answer. Percy just nods.

"It's done."

"And the stone?"

"I...might have dropped it."

* * *

 _"Dropped?!"_ Annabeth screams.

She doesn't pay attention to the fact what Gabe is mysteriously gone or what Luke's weapon is covered in blood. She doesn't pay attention to others exchanging worried looks between their backs; not everyone are alright with murdering mortals, no matter how bad.

Percy thinks he deserves it. He thinks _Gabe_ deserves it.

"We've searched half of the world for the chance to save your petty ass, finally found _something_ what could work and you what, just _dropped_ it?!"

"Annabeth," Luke tries.

"Shut the fuck up," she hisses back and Castellsan actually steps back in surprise. "I am not talking to you, I am talking to this disaster of the man," Chase turns back to Percy.

"...how could you?" She exhales after a pause. "I thought we had it all under control; I thought I could trust you to take care of yourself!" She stops and Percy realizes she's close to tears. "Don't you want to live? Don't you want to survive and have your happy ever after?! Gods know, _you_ of all people deserve some happiness!" Annabeth sobs. " _Happiness_ , you hear me? Not death! And you've just...Let it fall into the sewers?!"

"We still can search for it," Jason suggests. "It's not too late-"

"It is," Bayana interrupts. "The stone is probably far away already and we have no idea how these sewers look and where they lead. It's," she sighs. "It's the dead end. I'm sorry."

Percy starts coughing violently all of sudden.

He hears his team call his name between the painful spasms and the sound of his own throat trying to rip itself off; he hears their voices, but there is nothing he can do.

He just keeps coughing his lungs out, and the floor of the room blooms with the red.

* * *

Nico doesn't talk to him.

That's the sad fact; he just...doesn’t. Stopped paying attention to Percy the moment he heard Jackson dropped the Alatyr'.

Maybe it's his way to show how mad he is; maybe Nico is preparing himself for Percy's death. Maybe it's both, maybe - neither.

But the fact is: since the talk after the fight with Smelly Gabe Nico hasn't said to Percy a single thing.

It's honestly annoying as fuck.

Percy is dying, _okay_ , he knows that. He also knows what dropping the miraculous magical stone wasn't the cleverest choice of action ever.

But he also knows it was the only way for Gabe not to get to stone.

Percy knows he did what he has to; he just doesn't know how to prove it to the others.

* * *

"This is unfair," he says as he sits next to Nico. "You're boycotting me. This is childish and very unfair and also changes nothing."

Nico doesn't answer.

"Di Angelo," Percy nudges him in the shoulder. "Talk to me."

No response.

"Nico. Hey. Neeks. Nikki. Nickelangelo. Nickelson."

Silence.

"I love you," comes out a little bit desperate. "I love you, alright? And it's not like it's my fault I'm dying, okay? I'm cursed. I didn't bring it on myself."

"Yes, you did," Nico says. "If you had just agreed to get rid of these feelings…"

Percy scoffs. "We're not talking about this again," he huffs. "Nico."

"What?"

"I love you."

"...I love you too," comes back after a while, small and weak.

Percy sighs as he wraps his hands around the boy next to him.

"I am going to die," he mentions casually.

"No, _you are not!"_

Percy doesn’t have any energy to argue with him.

“Sure,” he sighs. Whatever you say.”

* * *

"We still need to visit Mae," Percy mentions the next day, as casual as he can be. The atmosphere on Argo II is tense.

"Who?" Jason asks.

"Mae Castellan, Luke's mother. Luke and I gathered some of mixed water from the lake," Percy stops awkwardly, avoiding everyone' gaze. "It could help her, you know?"

Annabeth sighs. "That's so...  _Percy_ of you," she admits. "You're dying and we just lost the last thread to your salvation, and you think about someone else's saving." She shakes her head.

"She deserves a chance," Percy insists. Luke is surprisingly quiet, but is clenching the vial with the potion in his hands for dear life. "She isn't guilty of anything."

"I agree," Nico raises his voice. "The situation with Percy is," he looks away. "Unpleasant, but I was thinking about waters' effects too."

Nico looks around, determined expression on his pale face. "It's my-" he glances at Hazel and Bianca, sitting together. "- _our_  father's fault she got to the state she is now. I don't think trying to undo the harm would be excessive."

* * *

The woman blinks for a moment, before staring right in front of her, her expression changing to the more calm one.

"Luke," she says, looking at her son. "You have returned. But...how?" Mae clenches his face in her hands. "You have died, I _know_ that! The prophecy was fulfilled, _your fate_ has fulfilled."

She suddenly leans back. "Wait," the woman says warily. "This is real, right? It's not one of the green smoke induced visions?"

"No," he admits, starting to shake. "There will be no more of these."

Mae Castellan winces. "Good," she stays. "I've grew awfully tired of them. Besides, they're loud."

* * *

They're somewhere halfway through cleaning the place ("No more sandwiches," Mae whispers in horror. "And burned cookies. Never again.") when there is a loud sound of crash outside.

Mae stops midst action, with the trash pocket in his hands.

"What even-" she starts, but the call outside interrupts her.

"Mae!" the voice screams. And it's strange, because it sounds familiar; almost like the voice of one particular god Percy knows. Aside from what it _can't be_ , never before any of them heard Hermes to sound like that.

Mae Castellan doesn't look to be surprised at the slightest.

"Oh," she mentions casually, putting the bag aside. "Look who spared us a visit."

And it's all she manages to say before a whirl, distantly reminding of a god of travels, knocks her down to put her up in eager embrace.

"Okay," Mae says with some false grumbling. "Put me down, you fool."

Hermes resists.

"Mae," he repeats, looking in her face, into her eyes. "It's you."

She chuckles. "What," the woman wonders." Have you expected someone else?"

* * *

There is an unexpected visitor waiting for them back on the ship.

"I think it's to you," Leo mentions nervously. He's blushing for some unknown reason.

Percy warily steps abroad. There is a painfully beautiful woman standing there.

It feels like her entire view shifts, moving and changing its picture; can't possibly identify her look from the first try. From the second try she looks a lot like Sally Jackson.

"Mother," whispers Bayana staying near. The blissful woman nods.

"Bayana," she says, giving the nav the acknowledging nod. "Piper."

"Mother," she echoes back.

Behind them Nico scoffs in anger. "What are you doing here?" he asks, not bothering to be polite. "Hadn't you enjoyed this game of yours enough?"

Aphrodite laughs. "You detest me," she notices. "Even though I'm here with a gracious gift."

"What gift?" Percy asks. He knows he shouldn't, indulging schemes of gods was always a dangerously play. But he also knows - maybe better than others - what love is determined, relentless and implacable: it won't just go away. Not that simply.

"I am glad you have asked," the woman smiles, washing Percy in a warm light of her delight. "It's a gift for you, my dear."

Annabeth steps forward, menacing and ready to argue. Or fight. Or both.

"Haven't you given Percy enough of your "gifts" already?" she questions, pinpointing the word "gifts" as something dirty. "I think his love life is exciting enough."

"Oh, don't you worry," Aphrodite promises dangerously. " _Your_ exciting times are soon to come as well."

Annabeth doesn't seem to appreciate that.

"As for you," and the goddess is back to Percy. "I have something special to grant you. The curse," she leans in, brushing the naked bones of Percy's face tenderly. "Is quite the masterpiece, if I say so. But," she points a finger in the air. "I can fix it."

"You can what?!" Thalia all but grows. "When _why in all hells_ you've fooled us around for that long?"

Something changes in the goddess' posture then, shifts; and it feels like she became bigger, stronger, and more powerful.

"Because," he states coldly. "I do not tolerate other gods killing my children on the left and right."

"But she tried to steal from Hades," Bianca reminds. "His actions were justified, if cruel."

"And she," Aphrodite cups her undead daughter's face gently. "Did it for the name of love. Reasoning I understand and approve of."

"Love is a powerful force," she continues. "Sometimes it leads up to the desperate actions. I would want others," she pierces her eyes into Nico. "To find out that harsh truth. I would like Hades to feel it on his own skin; how cruel love can be sometimes. But," she turns back to Percy. "I am not without remorse and do not wish you evil. You've empathized with my doomed child," she gestures at Bayana. "And did not hold her anger and pain against her. That already was enough to change my mind."

The reaches to Percy, who all about stepping back, but feels Piper holding him in one place.

"She won't hurt you," McLean whispers. "At least not now. If fact, I think she's about to save you."

And the goddess keeps reaching, moving her hand past Percy's ribs, to the heart, until she holds it gently in his hand.

Percy gasps and struggles to stay still.

" _I know_ ," Aphrodite says sympathetically. "It's a weird feeling. But don't be afraid," she squeezes the heart lightly, making Percy gasp one more time.

"It will hurt sometimes. And sometimes it will give you security and joy. Love is versatile." With that, she frees the heart and leans back.

Percy stares - and he bet others are just dumbfounded as him - at his heart pulsing with sudden warm light, the pulse getting wider and wider, the flesh growing back with every bit.

"How," he breathes out.

Aphrodite laughs, pleased. " _Love,_ " she says. "It's all the power of love."

And with the last words she's just...gone.

Disappeared in the air, as if she never stood there to begin with.

"What the actual fuck," Nico mumbles.

* * *

 "Do you think she did it because of Mae?" Percy asks, staring at the selling.

Grover lays next to him, the same lost expression on his face.

"Well," he chews his lip. "She did appear only after we have given her the potion. If it was only because of Bayana, wouldn't she appear as soon as you recruited her?"

Percy sighs. "Maybe she wanted to see what we'll do," he suggests. "To watch the show with us as staring figures. Gods are jerks like this, you know."

"I would suggest you to be a little bit more careful," Grover notices. "You just get your flesh and life back; would be sad if Aphrodite decided to curse you with something nasty once again."

Percy scoffs. "That wouldn't surprise me," he admits.

"I'm just glad you won't die," Grover says. "It would suck without you around."

Percy laughs.

"Same, dude. Just the same."


	15. Babe, you don't have to shy away. Just say what you need to say (I'm not going anywhere)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End of the World ends and Hades has something to say about his children's chosen ones.  
> The team returns to the Camp Half-Blood and gets into all kinds of love shenanigans.

There is Hades in his dreams, erupting through the shadows, and Percy doesn't even question it.

Demigod dreams are weird.

"Percy Jackson," Hades says in a voice what makes Percy wonder if his live is about to end now. "I see you got rid of the curse."

"Yep," he nods, because honestly, _what the fuck_ , will he ever be able to have normal dreams and rest?

Something of this internal monologue might reflect on his face, as Hades frowns even more than he already did.

"I am not happy," he starts. "With _you_ of all people being target of my son's affection. But it's not for me to decide." He sighs. "However, I can and I will inform you, what," he gets closer and Percy with sudden worry realizes he can't move back. "If you'll ever hurt him," _again_ , hangs up in the air between of them. "I will personally make sure the curse you went through would be your nicest and happiest of your memories. Don't think you being my brother's favorite will protect you from my wrath."

"Oh, I didn't think so," Percy shrugs. "And you right, it's not your freaking deal who Nico dates. But," he looks Hades straight in the eyes. "I will do anything in my power to make sure Nico is happy. Anything," he pushes. "I'll try my best."

"Swear on the waters of river Styx," Hades demands.

"I swear on the waters of river Styx," slides down his tongue easily.

And it's a promise.

"Good," Hades steps back, his face features relaxing. "I'm holding you to that."

And he disappears.

* * *

Percy wakes up to his head ringing like a bell, Nico curled next to him and Grover chewing his t-shirt in the sleep.

It's usual Argo II awakening, and there are someone's legs in the socks with little snitches just in front of Percy's face as well. He doesn't even question it, just pushes legs away and sits up.

Most of them are still asleep, but Frank is awake; sitting with Hazel practically laying ahead of him and Leo clinging to his leg for dear life. They make an eye contact.

"Dude," Frank whispers, making sure he is quiet enough to not wake up others. "I just had the weirdest dream in my life."

"Let me guess," Percy smirks. "Hazel's father has paid you a visit?"

"How do you-" Frank squints in suspicion. "Wait, _you too?_ "

"Yep," Percy leans back and gets not so friendly kick in his neck. _Stupid sock legs_ , he thinks. "Hades just kind of walked in my dream and threatened me to be a good person. I would without his threats, thank you very much, so I just promised so."

"Just like this?" Frank doubts.

"Well, I did swear on the river Styx, so-"

" _Really?_ You just...made an official, unbreakable promise?"

"Well, yes? I can't think why I shouldn't have; I mean, this way even I have a guarantee Nico is safe with me."

Frank sighs. "You don't trust in yourself much, do you? Or yourself."

Percy shrugs. "You know me," he says. "I'm not exactly...the nicest person around. I'm not Jason, who tries to make everything right and succeeds; I'm not Annabeth, who clearly knows what's wrong and right and acts alongside her moral compass. I'm Percy Jackson, I'm messy and emotional and my powers literally reflect everything I feel. I've been in anger management class before and have destroyed more things than I can count."

He stops for a moment, wondering why is he starting this pity party, but Frank looks at him with a gentle, welcoming expression and he listens, and so Percy keeps talking.

"You know, I used to think I'm defective before I've found out I'm a son of a god. Turns out, _I am_ defective, I am half-blood. Father once said what it would be better for me if I haven’t been born."

Frank jumps up, almost waking up Hazel. "He said _what?"_

"Well," Percy shrugs. "He said what he regrets my birth."

"That's in no way better!"

"What I think he meant is," Percy sighs. "What life of demigod sucks, and especially life of the Big Three children. This isn't new info, pretty much everyone knows: being half-blood sucks. One of your parents is a god whom you maybe saw once in your life, if you're lucky enough, and you're twice as lucky if your other parent around, and if they're nice. I am lucky," he smiles. "My mom is the best person in the entire world. But the thing is, it doesn't stop my life from being a chain of unlucky events what turn everything around in aches and leave a trail of blood and dead bodies behind. Life of a demigod is a dangerous thing. So I'm actually glad I have some ground in the face of promise to the god."

Frank shakes his head. "And I thought I had it bad."

"And you did," Percy reminds him. "It's not a race whose life is worse."

"I've meant the talk with Pluto," Frank chuckles. "But thanks."

Percy perks up. "So what did Pluto said to you?"

"Well," the child of Mars hums. "First of all, he has threatened me. When made me promise I won't hurt Hazel and won't let others to hurt her. No river Styx, though."

"Huh," Percy notices. "I had no "don't let others hurt him" part."

"I think it's because no one can actually stand against Nico," Frank chuckles. "Only you, Jason and maybe Thalia. But the thing is, I think he doesn't need protection from others because he makes damn sure they can't hurt him. But with you...He opens up and lowers his defense."

"So," Percy frowns. "What you mean is no one can hurt Nico until he lets them and he would let me?"

"He loves you," Frank shrugs. "I mean, it's not a big secret, but he _really_ does. I think if Nico has any weakness, it’s you."

"A way to make guy feel special," Percy grumbles. "And responsible. I'm so happy I made this promise to Hades now."

He looks down at Nico. "Wow," Percy sighs. "Love sucks."

Frank chuckles. "Please, don't start panicking right now."

"I'm not panicking," Percy denies. "It's just...I didn't realize it's... _that_ deep. For him, I mean. All this time I was worried if he liked me and I should have been worried about not hurting him."

"Don't start motherhening him now," Frank advises. "He'll probably kick your ass if you even try. No pitying business either."

"I wasn't- I mean," he sighs. "It's the revelation, for sure, but I'm not going to treat him any different. He's my friend and my..." Percy looks away. "My boyfriend and I kind of _know_ him, alright? I knew him before all of you did, aside from Bianca, Annabeth and Thalia. So I'm not going to treat him like a freaking glass statue only because it appears I have power over him."

Percy shrugs. "After all, he has a power over me too. This thing is mutual; I trust him not to tear my heart apart and he trusts me not to do the same. We're equal."

"Okay, okay," agrees Frank. "I got it, sorry. Also you got really deep here for a moment. And really loud; I hope we didn't wake up anyone."

"Too late," Hazel murmurs from his lap.

"Oh damn, Haze, I'm so sor-"

"Shush," she calms Frank down. "It was actually nice to wake up to Percy ranting angrily about Nico."

"No, it wasn't," denies Nico from his place. "I would prefer sleep over it any time."

"Well, excuse me," Percy makes a face. "I too would prefer to sleep, but _someone's_ father literally broke into my sleep to tell me I'm dead if I'll treat my boyfriend wrong."

"Wait," Nico sits up, trying to ignore a small blush what crawls into his face after Percy's "boyfriend". "Hades visited you in your dream?"

"And Pluto," Frank adds. "Gave us a hell of the parent talk, to be honest."

Hazel looks horrified. "Oh my gods," she pushes out softly. "What the actual fuck."

Nico groans into the pillow. "This is so embarrassing," he admits. "Father, why."

"Well," Percy pats his back. "At least it means he really cares about the two of you."

Nico just groans once more.

* * *

One day the end of the world stops.

It just... _ends._

None of the team has seen any sighs of wolves or Ice giants, or Fire giants, or any giants for a while, but they don't think about it much.

So when one day someone just falls on the board of Argo II, they're surprised, at least.

"Ouch," says someone and Percy recognizes Magnus Chase's voice. "Samirah, why. I've trusted you. Oh, Annabeth, hey! What's up?"

"What's up?" she asks. "You just fell on our ship from the sky and you ask _"What’s up?"_ "

"Well," Magnus shrugs. "Yes? I also came to tell you our thanks and what you can go home now. It's over."

"What," Percy asks. "Just like this?"

"Just like this," Magnus affirms. "The Ragnarok is no threat to this world anymore and everything else is not your problem."

"Wait," Annabeth stops him. "To _this world?_ "

"Oh yeah," her cousin scratches his head. "Asgard has it pretty bad right now and I really need to return as soon as possible, but I've just wanted to tell you in person what it's all chill for you."

"You sure you don't need our help?" Jason asks and _No, Grace, be quiet._

Luckily for Percy, Magnus shakes his head. "I'd like to have some more friendly faces," he admits. "But it's not your war, nor your myths. So go home and enjoy your life," he waves them away. "Oh! And Odin asked to tell you; if any of your dead like...became alive again, like returned like nothing happened, it’s all good, they're not going to turn back to ashes or anything."

He shrugs. "Don't look at me, that's some rune magic and I know nothing about it."

And so, in the most ridiculous way, it's over. And they just fly back home.

* * *

"So what now?" Jason asks as they're back at the Camp Half-Blood. "Time to go through some celebrations?"

Leo chuckles. "Good idea," he admits. "But I'll have to pass. I have a thing to do."

Piper measures him with suspicious look. "Nothing what will explode later, I hope?"

"Of course not! Well, maybe a little...It depends on my favorite brother, honestly," he shrugs.

Jason chuckles. "You have favorites now?"

"Yes!" Leo beams up. " _Beckendorf_! The guy is great! We get along like fire and oil and he insisted - I repeat, _insisted!_ \- for me to stay the counselor of Cabin Nine! I expected everyone to want him back in the position, but when I suggested it everyone were like, and I quote: "No, Leo! What the hell! We missed Charles and happy he's back, but you're our head now!" It's nice to be appreciated," he smiles softly. "And Beckendorf didn't even mind; he said he had enough of that stuff and is glad the Cabin is in safe hands."

Leo chuckles. "Can you believe he called my hands safe? Anyway, Charles was amazed by Bunker Nine when Nyssa and I showed it to him and he barely left it since. So this morning he called me by Iris Message; looking like he haven't slept for weeks, fire and smoke on the background - and screamed (I'm saying screamed because there was some loud noise there too) about some project he and my mom - my mom! - are working on. So naturally," he exhales after the whole thing being said in a single breath. "I'm excited. So sorry, can't join you."

"It's okay," Jason smiles. "Go spend some time with your family."

Leo grins back. "Thanks, bud. Don't mind if I do."

And just like this, he sprints away.

Jason waits for his best friend to leave before sighing deeply.

"Jace?" Piper asks. "Something's wrong?"

"No- I mean-" he sighs once more. "I don't want to upset you; you guys seem to be so happy with your revived siblings; you get along with Silena and Leo is just in heaven because his mom is back, and I," he stops. "No, it's stupid, I'm sorry."

"Hey," she calls out softly. "Hey. It's alright, okay? You can tell me. Is it because of your mom?"

Jason hides his head in his palms.

"Yes," he hisses. "She's just...She is so _difficult!_ I used to wonder how could Thalia run away, _how could she_ give up something that important. I used to envy her because she remembered mother! And now," he looks defeated. "I don't know how she managed to hold on for so long, because Beryl is... I really try to see something good in her, I'm trying, do you believe me?"

He looks at Piper in desperation and she hugs him. "I believe you," she says into his neck. "I know what you're trying and I know you're doing the best you can. You're doing great!" she leans away to look him in the eyes. "It's not your fault, Jason, it's not your fault at all. You shouldn't feel guilty because you don't want to spend time with her or because you don't want to know her better."

"But-" Jason tries.

"No buts! She's an alcoholic with a bad attitude, she left you to the wolves - _literally!_ \- when you were two years old. You don't owe her anything, neither affection and nor your single presence. She left you, not the other way around." Piper cups his face. "And if you feel like she isn't your family or you don't want her to be your family, it's alright. Blood related relatives are good and all, but Jason, this isn't what defines family."

She reaches to kiss his forehead and Jason relaxes into the touch.

"Beryl doesn't have to be your family because you already _have_ one. _I_ am your family, Leo is; the whole Argo II team would die-"

"Please don't."

"- For your single smile - and don't interrupt me when I'm speaking," the daughter of Aphrodite smiles at him and Jason thinks her beauty has nothing to do with her goddess mother. It has something to do with Pipes herself.

"You've found your home," she continues, passionate, eyes shining with love. "And you have found your family. _You're not alone_ , Jason Grace, and you never will be."

She reaches for his lips with hers.

"Are you going to verify it with a kiss?" he laughs.

She joins in. "Oh, _absolutely_."

* * *

There is something satisfyingly ironic in the sight of Luke Castellan talking to Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Maybe it's a memory of that one time she hit him with a blue hairbrush; maybe it's her promise to do that again if he ever "turn to the dark side" again.

They're back at the Camp and everything looks peaceful. Well, as peaceful as things could be for the camp full of teenage half-bloods with parental issues.

But hey, the end of the world passed as if it haven't even been there, and all who came back to life stayed.

Well, almost all of them

"What do you mean "he has died"? mister D. inquisitors. _"Again?!"_

Several dryads and satires in front of him step away. Percy shorts.

"You must agree: there is something to admire in his dedication," he mentions. "To die yet again after the world specifically resurrected you? Wow."

Grover sighs. "I guess morale of this story is: you can't keep someone alive if they don't want to. Pan deserves his rest," he shrugs. "But I admit it's depressing," he sniffs a little. "To see - and _feel_ \- the god of nature to die once again."

Percy pats him by the shoulder sympathetically. "I really feel like it's mostly humanity's fault," he says. "And can't not feel a little guilty because of it."

"Don't," the satire shakes his head. "It's nothing you could have prevented. I guess we're just back to once laid course: to prevail as much as we can, with our own hands and shared efforts."

"You know you can always count on me, right?"

* * *

"We're dating," Clarisse declares. To Percy, for some reason. She stands in front of the Poseidon's table, Silena's hand in her.

"Uh," Percy manages. "Good for you?"

Clarisse frowns. "Silena and I are dating," she clears out. "And I'm also dating Chris and Silena is dating Beckendorf."

Percy still looks at her in confusion.

"Cool," he finally says when silence gets too awkward and Silena clears her throat.

"I'm dating Nico di Angelo," he returns gracefully, gesturing to there his boyfriend stands; Nico is currently explaining all what happened to them in a quest to Will Solace.

Percy wonders if it's bad what he doesn't feel jealousy. Nico turns back, feeling his gaze, locks the eyes with him and smiles brightly. Percy thinks it's not bad.

He honestly is glad Nico and Will are managed to stay friends: Solace is a great guy and Nico sure won't hurt to have more people who he knows care about him. He smiles back and waves at Will.

"I can see that," Silena says, not even bothering to hide a smile. "You two look cute together. And I'm sorry about the curse you had to deal with."

Percy shrugs. "It's okay," he reassures. "The curse is broken and I'm not dying, so I guess everything is good."

"So," Clarisse asks with a hint of uncertainty. "We're good?"

"Sure," Percy nods. "Why wouldn't we?"

* * *

Rachel laughs when he tells her about it.

"Dumbass," she accuses. "Clarisse was worried how you'd react to her and Silena being in polyamorous relationship!"

Percy stares at her.

"Why should I think something about it?" He wonders. "It's not my business. I mean, I'm happy they're happy, but how does my opinion change anything?"

Rachel laughs louder. "You're her friend," she explains. "And Beckendorf's friend, and Silena's friend. She wanted to have your back and your approval."

"Well," Percy mumbles, touched by the idea of Clarisse caring about what he has to say. "She has my back and approval both."

* * *

Percy catches Annabeth talking with Rachel, and alright, this isn't new, Annabeth and Rachel are _friends_.

But something picks Percy's attention, something looks...Well, not off, but _different_.

Then Rachel says something and Annabeth bursts into laughing and _this is it_ , Percy thinks. _**This** is different._

Because hello, Percy has made Annabeth laugh for thousand - alright, hundred - times, but she has never laughed like that; like nothing but what Oracle just said matters, like she would like to hold yourself, but she can't.

Annabeth laughs in the most non-gracious way, mouth open, face red and tears in the corner of her eyes.

Annabeth laughs like her whole being is in this laughter and Percy can pinpoint the moment when exactly she finally gets her stoic posture back.

Except it's not stoic, because Annabeth is still as red as tomato and she switches between staring at Rachel while she doesn't look and looking anywhere but her.

She has this extremely open look hiding in her eyes and _no_ , Percy isn't spying, he just walked closer because Annabeth is his best friend and Rachel is his friend and he's allowed to say hello to them both.

So he does.

"Oh, hi, Percy," Rachel answers and Annabeth looks like she's been caught on something she isn't supposed to do.

 _Don't_ , Annabeth's intense gaze tells him, because Annabeth has known him for ages and she knows what he knows.

* * *

"For someone who told me I'm a hopeless fool in love," Percy starts the moment Rachel walks away and Annabeth looks like he's about to stab him.

" _I know_ , alright?" she says. "It just...I didn't want to..."

"Hey," Percy says, because his best friend suddenly looks lost. "Hey, it's alright! It's _Rachel_ , okay? You know her, she will treat you right."

Annabeth sniffs (actually sniffs!)

"It's not because of that, dumbass," she says. "It's because she's Oracle."

"Uh," Percy says. "I don't get it?"

" _Oracle of Delphi,_ " Annabeth repeats. "The "forever virgin"! Unobtainable and undatable!"

"Oh," Percy says. "But look, have you asked her? Maybe it's just, you know, tradition? Like, she has Apollo as the patron and he bangs everything what moves; I don't think he'll forbid a relationship for Oracle only because she is, well, Oracle."

"It does make some sense," Annabeth agrees. "But what if it's Delphi thing?"

"Again," Percy pushes. " _Ask her_. Like you don't have to straightforwardly say "Hey Rachel, I like you, can you date me or nah”, you can be subtle. Like ask about previous Oracles or read about it. Or ask Chiron, if someone knows, it's him."

"Oh right, I can see it," Annabeth snorts. "'Chiron, can you please tell me, if Oracle can date anybody or she has to be single?' He won't suspect a thing."

"Again, be subtle. And even if he'll know, what's then?" Percy shrugs. "He's like a second father to you; he'll support you no matter what. And he'll never, ever make a fun of you either."

Annabeth finally looks a little bit more cheerful.

"Yes," she says. "I think you're right... I think I'll do that. Thank you, Percy."

He leans in to kiss her forehead. "Any time, wise girl."

* * *

Percy doesn't believe his eyes when he sees Annabeth hitting a table with her head.

 _Literally_.

It would look like just simple lowering of a head to the table if she hasn't used so much force. Malcolm pats her by the shoulder worriedly and Percy thinks it's his cue.

He glances at Nico, who, apparently, was looking at Percy looking at Annabeth the whole time.

"It's not the romance thing," he hurries, because Nico has this painful expression on his face and Jackson knows he's still waiting for Percy to drop him to hurry to Annabeth.

With no curse present it's really hard for Nico to believe Percy actually loves him and dates him and won't choose someone else. In times like these Percy really misses the curse.

"I love you," he adds and apparently it's loud enough for some new guy at the Ares table to hear, because poor dude almost chokes on his sandwich.

Percy sends him a look and really hopes the guy just didn't expect such open display of affection and not homophobic or something, because a fight with some Ares kid would be the last thing Percy needs right now.

He turns his whole, undivided attention back to Nico. "As I said," Percy continues. "I love you. In the gay way. I love you and I'm not getting anywhere."

"But?" Nico continues.

"But Annabeth just planted her face down the table forcibly because - alright, I shouldn't say this but I know you can keep a secret - she has feelings for Rachel and is currently quite melodramatic because of it."

Nico looks at him with an eyebrow raised, as if he doesn't truly believe what Percy is saying.

"I'm not lying," Percy persists. "Annabeth has a crisis now and I need to be there for her because she was there for me when I had my crisis over you. Like," Percy chuckles. "I walked through her door without knocking and started these long " _Oh my god_ , Nico kissed me; _Oh my god_ , what if I'm a bad kisser; _Oh my god_ , Annabeth, how do you woo a guy?" more times than socially appropriate and it's just fair what I'll be there for her when she'll have her " _Oh my god_ , Percy, how do you woo a girl who's also an Oracle; _Oh my god,_ Percy, what if she's unwooable?!" moments."

"I don't think "unwooable" is an actual word," Nico mentions. "But you're right. ...I'm sorry for acting up."

"You're not acting up," Percy reassures. "You're just worried and insecure; it happens with the best of us. But I promise where is no chance of me and Annabeth getting back together. And not because Annabeth has a thing for Rachel; because _I_ have a thing for _you_."

He reaches to touch Nico's cheek softly. "My heart has chosen you long time ago; it has chosen you despite its feelings literally killing it; it has chosen you despite me having absolutely no belief we can be a thing. _I'm not getting anywhere_ ," he plants a chaste kiss on Nico's lips. "I'm here."

"Okay," Nico is blushing but he manages to stay calm despite Hazel and Bianca's very interested looks. "But right now you need to be there because Annabeth is about to do something drastic if you won't interfere."

"Thank you," Percy quickly stands up. "I love you!"

"...I love you too," Nico whispers when Percy is out of reach to hear him.

* * *

"I am dying," Annabeth says.

"No, you're not."

"I am a failure to my mother."

" _How did_ \- why do you even think so?"

"I am," Annabeth raises her head from a pillow. "Supposed to be clever. Supposed to be wise, to get it together. And I," she groans. "Almost tripped Rachel into the lake because suddenly I'm dumb and clumsy and my legs feel like they don't belong to me."

She sighs. "I get why Athena engages only the love of minds. I mean," she gestures around. "This is a compete mess and I want my mental stability back."

"Wow," Percy chuckles. "Welcome to my world."

"This is serious," she grumbles. "And now I know for sure I have never been in romantic love with you; it just feels so... _different_. Not better or worse, just different. It's," Annabeth sighs. "I feel my heart in my throat and I get speechless around her and remember this stupid "butterflies in your stomach" idiom? Completely true. _I hate it_ ," she punches a pillow. "I love it but I hate it! I feel so..."

"Out of control?"

"Yeah," she nods. "Exactly. I keep trying to be reasonable and act on it but I just can't. With you," Annabeth breathes in. "I could always think straight, as ironic as it sounds. I could choose to act irrational or not, and I've often chose to not, but I've had _a choice_. I could lead my actions and I could keep a cool face and now," she groans. "I get why it’s said what love is a powerful thing, what it rules the world. I've always been skeptical about it, you know, underestimated Aphrodite's children sometimes, because," she laughs. "Love! Love is just a feeling! How can it control anything; how can it rule the world? Now," Annabeth all but cries. "Now I fucking get it."

Percy strokes her hair gently.

"It's alright," he says. "It's a lot, but it's alright. I swear it's not as scary as it feels at first. You love Rachel and I bet it's mutual and she actually can date, it's just not common for Delphi's Oracle to be in relationship, but not forbidden either, so everything is going to be fine."

"Or I'll die," Annabeth murmurs in the most fatalistic tone what is humanly possible. "It would be easier."

Percy just laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is monstrous. The next one is going to be final (and also probably small)


	16. Everything stays, but it still changes. Ever so slightly, daily and nightly, in little ways (When everything stays)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conclusion to the not so long journey, but somehow longer self-search is there.  
> Everything stays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contrary to popular belief, I'm not dead. But close.

"Jackson," someone calls to him. "Percy!"

Percy turns around to meet Will Solace.

"It's not me," he makes sure to mention _just in case_. Will measures him with the look what looks suspiciously like Annabeth's.

"I'm pretty sure it is you," he argues.

"I swear it’s Clarisse," Percy keeps denying because he doesn't know what he did, but he can always accuse his close ones.

Will chuckles. "I'm not here to scold you for anything," he reassures. "Well, not exactly. We have a common thing to work on."

And alright, it sounds the fair amount of curious and suspicious.

Percy tries not to look interested. "A common thing?" he asks indifferent, giving his plate an affectionate look.

Will sighs with a sound no mortal or teenager is supposed to be able to make.

"Rachel," he says like it explains everything. "Elizabeth Dare. Part time oracle, full time pain in the ass."

Percy chokes on his gummy bears.

"Alright," he says unintelligently. "I'm not arguing, but why?"

Will looks around. "I would like not to discuss it in public," he admits. "But I think you and I both have awkward lovesick friends who don't know how to deal with feelings."

Now it starts to make sense.

"Annabeth!" Percy exclaims, a little too loud, gathering some curious looks.

Will hushes. "Yes, yes, can you scream a little louder?" he grumbles, not bothering to let Percy finish his unhealthy snack and nudging him away. "I must inform you what whatever you had to go through with Annabeth, I have it worse." He sighs. "And just because Red is under Apollo's wing and I'm the Apollo's child..."

"No need to continue," Percy grins. "You're her current crying jacket, aren't you?"

Will's scoff deepens. "I'd say it's more like complaining jacket," he admits. "Look, it's not in my habit to get into someone's love affair, but Rachel is really loud about her crush. Loud and compliant. To my ears. I think we need to do something because there is only that much of "But Will, what if she's secretly in love with Percy still?" I can deal with."

Percy snorts.

"It took us hell of the time to figure out what neither Annabeth nor I were in love with each other."

"Tell it to Rachel!" Will almost begs. "I can't even argue with her much, because in all truth almost everyone had a crush on you in their time."

Now it's Percy's time to give him a look.

"I'm speaking the truth," Will insists. "I can say "Everyone who ever had a crush on Percy Jackson, raise a hand", and a half of the camp will follow."

Percy still gives him silent "are you shutting me" treatment and Will sighs.

"No offence, but you're not the most attentive person around."

"Hey!"

"Rachel told me," Will continues, ignoring Percy's exclamation. "What you literally didn't notice being in love till your flesh started to rot."

Percy can't see his own face, but he's damn sure his expression is somewhere between deadly embarrassment and resentful indignation.

"Friendship with Rachel Dare is over," he says dramatically. "Annabeth Chase is my new best friend now."

Will just snorts in response.

* * *

And this is how they - an idiot company of the bunch of different troubled demigods - find themselves in some bushes, watching Rachel and Annabeth approaching their set up.

"It's an awful idea," Nico comments. "Remind me: why did I even join?"

"You said: "Percy can't be left alone with his plans, he'll manage to die on the flat ground"," Bianca, who definitely has more fun sitting in the cover, reminds him.

"Hey!" Percy argues in the hushed whisper. "It wasn't my idea!"

"Don't look at me," hurries to defend himself Solace. "It wasn't mine either."

"It was mine," Piper declares. "Now shut the hell up and let me watch."

* * *

It's a mess; because they're bunch of barely adults and forever kids who has more experience with fighting and dying than in relationships, and because their plan is a stupid one, and because Rachel with Annabeth _are not_.

They end up being uncovered, the Oracle and Wise Girl giving culprits the matching unimpressed looks.

But in the end it doesn't matter, because two days later Percy stumbles over Annabeth and Rachel talking in the hushed voices, leaning way too close into each other.

Percy and Will give each other a high five, even though Annabeth insists their development has nothing to do with "ridiculous plans and even more ridiculous boys".

Rachel just rises a fist threatening.

Or it would look so, if she wouldn't have light dancing in her eyes slyly and her lips quirking into a small, but illegally joyful grin.

Annabeth can say whatever she wants, but Percy and Co know better.

* * *

An expected, but no less sad thing follows soon; the hunters are about to leave the camp.

Thalia is hesitant, covering Jason in unresolved sisterly affection; Bianca gives Nico and - for some reason - Percy guilty looks, but insists to go.

She and Nico have an argument about it, too loud for other campers not to hear. It ends up with di Angelos finding some common ground, but still leaves Nico visibly upset.

Bianca talks about moving on, about how she doesn't belong to the mortal world anymore and about how it doesn't mean she's abandoning Nico.

Nico scoffs, Bianca hugs him almost forcibly, promises to call by Iris Message and visit, asks him to call.

Her farewell to Hazel is less heated and more heartwarming, none of the girls saying anything and just hugging each other for a while.

Bianca whispers something, and Percy thinks he hears her asking Hazel to look after Nico. Hazel nods more times than needed, and she has tears standing in her eyes.

* * *

Zoe, to everyone's utter surprise, doesn't leave.

She gives somewhat shy and abashed look to everyone who asks, not bothering to explain more than: "It's about the time for me to search for my own path. Lady Artemis accepts my choice."

Piper gives her a knowing look, what makes Zoe wince and hiss something about "minding her own business", Bayana, who joined the Camp Half-Blood ranks, is close to ecstatic.

"We have so much time to spend together now!" she exclaims, excited, not seeing bewildered look Nightshade gives her. "Come on, let me show you my new residency!"

Zoe, surprisingly, doesn't complain much, letting the nav to lead her deep into the forest.

"Harold," Piper says in conspiratorial voice. "They're lesbians."

It will take Percy - and everyone around - some time to realize what they are, indeed, the lesbians.

* * *

They're coming through the front door this time, Nico shadowtraveling them both to the doorstep of Jackson-Blofis appartment.

"I swear I had the keys somewhere," Percy promises as he hurriedly checks all of his pockets. Nico just rolls his eyes.

It takes them twenty minutes of Percy insisting: "I have them, just give me a second!" while desperately looking, before the door opens up unexpectedly, revealing sleepy Paul with hilarious morning hair.

"Not to interrupt you kids," he says casually, as if there is nothing unusual in the view of his stepson with his friend - boyfriend - standing in front of the apartment door at Eight AM. "But what are you doing?"

"Percy forgot his keys," Nico mentions in the matter of fact voice, causing said boy to hiss at him in disagreement.

"I did not!" Percy denies. "I clearly remember taking them with me."

Paul gives him a soft smile. "Sorry to disappoint you, but you _did_ forget your keys," he says. "They're lying on the stand near the mirror.

Percy curses under his breath.

"Fine," he admits. "I have a memory of the goldfish and I forgot my keys."

He lets himself in, gesturing for Nico to follow, and Paul thinks he hears some "once in the entire life decided to come home as civilized person" grunting.

When it's interrupted by the unholy screech and Percy gets a handful of his sister to catch.

"Kids," Paul mentions with a smile, noticing Nico's horrified expression. "You'll get used to them in your own time."

"I'm gay," Nico says for some ungodly reason only to look even more horrified.

Paul doesn't look impressed and his eyebrow raise reminds Nico of Hades.

"And how does it protect you from a joy of parenting?" Mr. Blofis asks, a teasing but not unkind notes in his harsh from the sleep voice.

It is the moment Bianca Jr. notices Nico and jumps to him, not even bothering to climb from the Percy first. Nico ends up covered with a small, very excited and very loud child.

He doesn't think it's humanly possible to look even more horrified.

Paul gives him a knowing look. "See?" he speaks. "Just as I was saying."

"She's very cheerful for such an early morning," Mrs. Jackson-Blofis admits, appearing from the door Nico thinks leads to the bedroom. She has a worn off soft navy bathrobe on and her hair is in the messy bun.

"Hello, boys, we didn't expect you so soon."

"Well, it was surprisingly chill this time," Percy brushes off as his mother cups his face to kiss his cheeks multiple times. Nico thinks Percy is this kind of proud affectionate mama's boy what's pretty rare for people these days and half-bloods especially. "Also I'm not dying anymore."

"This is good," Sally agrees, planting the firm kiss on her son's forehead, looking into his eyes as to verify the said words. "Very good."

She turns to di Angelo.

"Honey, could you please take Bianca?" she asks Paul in a gentle voice, and her husband follows without a second notice.

Nico is about to wonder why, or to mention Percy's sister is no bother, then Sally wraps her hands around him in a soft welcoming embrace.

Nico thinks he understands Percy's mother's boy attitude.

He thinks Sally's hug feels like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it. It ends up a lil bit unexpectedly, but honestly, I couldn't think of a better conclusion.  
> Out of the view but clearly there: all newly resurrected demigods and mortals are pretty much ok and adjusting to the new lives; Zoe and Bayana slowly getting gayer till they're a couple, while Artemis is a supportive adoptive mom to Zoe, as she is to every single one of her girls (idc about canon and "Artemis and hunters abandon girls who fall into romantic love" shit)  
> It's okay to take several thousands of years off after a bad break up/relationship and it's ok to think you're aroace to find said several thousands of years later what you're lesbian (just as it's completely normal to realize you're lesbian despite having some past experience/relationships with men. Compulsory heterosexuality is a thing and especially the one many lesbians have to deal with. (fuck you, Rick, Reyna is a lesbian and bi and lesbian girls deserve better than you and your bullshit)  
> And I just love the idea of two girls who were hurt in the past by Dick McDick (ahem Hercules ahem) finding love and happiness together.  
> It's also absolutely okay to not feel connection to your born/blood family members, especially if said family members are/were neglecting and abusive to you ( AHEM Beryl Grace AHEM.) I'm convinced Esperanza ended up adopting Jason.  
> Also you DID NOT deserve to be abused, neither verbally nor physically. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT and you have all rights to be angry and resentful of your abuser.  
> Ok, I'm getting emotional here. This fic started as my maladaptive daydreaming release and ended up being something very important to me and a message to people who read it.  
> I love y'all, hit me with a message if ya want to chat on tumblr (@maegalkarven (main) or @underwaterferriswheel (new pjo sideblog)), or, if any of you are russian speaking, https://vk.com/id450530482 - here I am.


End file.
